Imitating the AncientsYün Hsiang (1586-1655)Ch’ing Dynasty Yün Hsiang (original name Tao-sheng, style name Pen-ch’u, and style name Hsiang-shan weng) was a native of Wu-chin, Kiangsu province. He was not only fond of poetry and ancient literature, but a fine landscape painter. In his early paintings, there is a dense and ponderous quality modeled after the styles of Yung Yüan (fl. Early 10th cent.) and Chü-jan (fl. Late 10th cent). In his later years, he used ink sparingly so that they appear quite light and somewhat similar to the styles of Ni Tsan (1301-1374) and Huang Kung-wang (1269-1354). This album is composed of leaves done in imitation of the ancient masters from the 10th to 14th centuries, spanning the Five Dynasties, Sung, and Yüan. The use of brush and ink is hoary and refined, and, although working in ancient styles, Yün Hsiang was able to reveal his own style.