Allen Mihecoby - Muesum Visit

“Peonies”
Allen Mihecoby

I am fascinated by Asian cultures especially Japanese art work. For this assignment, I went to the Asian Art Museum in Downtown Dallas. I selected Wang Wu’s “Peonies,” which is an ink and color drawing on silk.
One prominent feature of this piece is the various uses of lines. The focal point is the vertical line in which peonies rises up from the landscape in the center of the drawing. Immediately attention is drawn to two off-white peonies which are balanced against each other on a background of green leaves at the top canopy. To further emphasize the top canopy negative space was integrated before the main peonies and where the leaves begin. It seems to suggest that the plant is reaching up to where the sun would be shining in the real world.

Balance is provided by the use of a horizontal line segregating the empty space with the peonies, leaves and rocks. This line is not exact and is somewhat jagged, which would be similar to what is found in nature. Indeed the entire piece is asymmetrical in an homage to the environment and the natural style.

Wang Wu, in keeping with this style, used organic shapes in depicting the flowers and flora. The end results (though the picture does not provide adequate detail) are realistic looking flowers that look as if they were just brought in from outside. The peonies have been captured in minute detail with focus on the delicate softness of the petals of the flowers. The crispness of the leaves and the bare brown branches drive this point home.

The eye is drawn to the negative space in between the “main” part of the peony plant featured in the center of the drawing and the remaining portion in the lower right corner. A single peony bridges this negative space, which causes it to stand out.

There is not a depiction of a true background; there is only blank space behind and above the peony plant. This clearly places it as the focal point of the art work. The drawing is also centered upon the peony plant. It is front and center in the foreground and dominates the silk cloth and frame.

Taken as a whole, the entire piece has a choppy rhythm which again would be expected to be found in nature. The peony flowers appear at irregular intervals and are sprawling. This is unlike the more symmetrical rhythm of the cultured and manicured gardens. The artist’s intent is for the viewer to appreciate the natural state. One can almost imagine the sound of a babbling brook near by, insects and birds singing, as well as the warm summer wind blowing against the face -- bringing with it the scent of the flowers and the warmed earth.

To break up the dominant brown back ground and the color of the rocks, Wang Wu used the green foliage to set off the piece from the background. Warm hues of red are splashed among the plant for variety and for aesthetic reasons. It provides a beautiful contrast to the muted hues of off-white, light blue and pale pink of the other peony flowers. The mood the artist sets is calm and soothing.

Depth is suggested by the use of proportion. The flowers and leaves are made to appear closer to us by being made larger. This is further supplemented by the use of overlapping the flowers, leaves and foliage in various patterns. In spite of its two-dimensional nature, the plant seems voluminous and full.

A close inspection reveals the true artistry of this piece. The artist drew the painting on a silk background using ink and color. Wang Wu had to use a lot of control in preparing this piece to prevent the ink from smearing and running on the silk cloth. In the end, we are able to view each delicate flower petal. They have distinct lines that naturally blend one into another and appear to be soft to the touch. The lines of the delicate pen strokes appear to be the texture of the living plants and leaves. He was also able to capture the lines in the leaves that cover the vines/branches.