翰墨丹青—中國書畫專場 Refined Brushwork: Fine Chinese Paintings

1903-1979
Born in Luodong, under
the turbulence of Japanese
Occupation, Ran In-Ting
was heavily influenced by
both the Taiwanese and
Japanese culture. Ran
followed the apprenticeship
of Ishikawa Kin'ichiro, a
famous watercolour master,
and perfected his skills
in watercolour paintings
and sketches. With the
predominant subject matter
of Taiwanese landscape,
Ran later combined the skills
of Chinese paintings, thus
created his unique style.
With the guidance of
Ishikawa, Ran refined his watercolour painting techniques of ink and
brushwork to form light and shadow, depicting majestic landscapes.
In this painting, by adding tiny figures, a storyline was formed,
enhancing the pleasure of art appreciation. As Ran always said,
“Paintings need to be vibrant. This determines a painting’s aesthetic
value.”
Ran loved the countryside of Taiwan. As Taroko is one of the
landmarks in Taiwan, it naturally became the subject of Ran’s
painting. Featuring Zhuilu Old Trail, Ran uses an elevation perspective
to lead the eye from hikers to the soaring cliffs and finally to the
majestic waterfall.
Figures’ gestures carefully depicted, as it was deemed as a major
pictorial element to echo with the audience. Tiny hikers were
portrayed against the lofty landscape in the background. As the
hikers take their careful steps of their arduous journey, the scene
gradually reveals the grandiose waterfall. Ran not only highlighted
the monumental landscape, but also the struggle and fatigue of
hikers and, finally, the core fulfillment that lives in every hiker.