Fish

Discussion

FROM THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART’S CATALOG

Four fish of various sizes are swimming among aquatic plants. Like in other paintings, the existence of water is suggested in the harmonious movement of the fish and plants. In Chinese, the word for fish ( yu ) is a homophone for “abundance” and thus the motif has an auspicious connotation. The painter uses the so-called boneless technique without outlines to shade and texture the bodies of the fish. The smooth transition from dark shades on their backs to their white bellies and the thin transparent fins and tails in light washes accentuated by gills and scales are all executed without contour lines.

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