River Scene with Boats

Artist's inscription: “Some guests who came here from Changshan and Yushan tell me of the strange marvels of the landscape there. Taking up my brush, I record them here.”

The tilting terrain elevates the horizon beyond the painting’s edge and cuts off the hilltop, creating a grand, panoramic view in dense ink brushwork. Gong Xian painted this striking landscape to reflect an imaginary view of the Changshan and Yushan mountains.
In his 50s, after living through chaotic regime changes, Gong settled down in the scenic mountains in the suburbs of Nanjing. There he created this painting, a leaf in one of his best albums.