Guo Xi is often referred to as…

Guo Xi is often referred to as a “Northern Song master” when it comes to painting.

His work inspires many later artists and he will even had landscapes dedicated to him.

His lesser-known “Deep Valley” scroll painting depicts a serene mountain valley covered with snow and several trees struggling to survive on precipitous cliffs.

The ink washes and amorphous brush strokes are employed to model surfaces that suggest the veiling effects of the atmosphere.

One of Guo Xi’s techniques is to layer ink washes to build up forms and his “Deep Valley” is a masterpiece of the use of light ink and magnificent composition.