China, dated 1982. 24 × 36.5 cm Ink and colors on paper. Hanging scroll. Signed, with one seal of the artist. Landscape painting in the Chinese tradition is often referred to as shan shui, literally ‘mountain water’, for its depiction of natural landscape containing both elements. Liu Kuo-sung’s fascination with water led him to work over the course of two decades on techniques to capture the ever-changing and ethereal nature of water. In his water rubbing and steeped ink series, Liu first applies ink and watercolor to moist tracing paper, before placing another sheet of tracing paper on top. He then sweeps the composition with a broad brush, leaving unpredictable horizontal patterns as the two sheets are separated from one another. Through variations of color, paper thickness, and pressure of application, Liu’s water paintings can convey a brilliant, energetic intensity, as well as a soothing gracefulness. By portraying the diverse energy of water and the environment reflected upon it, Liu shifts this often-neglected element to the centerpiece of Chinese landscape painting, altering the relationship between mountain and water in this traditional genre. Provenance: formerly the property of the Dr. K. S. Lo Collection.