Pine and Rock by Wu Changshuo

Inscription: The pine's color refuses autumn's touch. In spring of 1921, recording a line by Meng Jiao. Wu Changshuo, at seventy-eight.

Appreciation:

Painted on silk in 1921, when Wu Changshuo was 87, Pine and Rock embodies the artist's mature power. Dark ink defines the pine's gnarled trunk; dense ink dots form its needles. The rock's plain texture complements the pine's proud stance. The inscription, "The pine's color refuses autumn's touch", reinforces the theme of steadfast integrity. Here, Wu's signature of metal-and-stone calligraphy in painting reaches its fullest expression.