Hsia Kuei (twelfth-thirteenth century)                                

Original: Ink on silk, 27 x 39 cm.

Leafl5of the album: Ming Hui Chi Chen                                       '

Two figures sit on a plateau in the shadow of a pine growing from an upper cliff. Facing the river flowing below them, the two seem to be engaged in a relaxed conversation.

As a painter of landscapes and figures, Hsia Kuei rivaled his contemporary, Ma Yuan. They both served at the Southern Sung court and have been recognized as the two leaders of Li T'ang's followers during the period. Hsia Kuei often painted 'one-corner' compositions, filling only half the painting with landscape, balanced with misty stretches of void. .He was a master of a wide variety of brush techniques, ranging from forceful blunt strokes for rocks to freehand brushing of even linework for architecture. Hsia Kuei's paintings are considered outstanding, the embodiment of a highly refined style.