The artwork, titled “Duck,” was created by Qi Baishi in the year 1892. It belongs to the art movement known as ink and wash painting and specifically falls under the genre of animal painting.
The artwork presents a single duck standing on a rocky outcrop, depicted with fluid and expressive ink strokes characteristic of the ink and wash painting style. The duck is shown in a simple yet dynamic pose, with its head raised and beak open, perhaps in the act of calling out. The scene is minimalistic, focusing solely on the duck and its immediate surroundings without any extraneous background details, thus emphasizing the elegance and natural form of the bird. The accompanying calligraphy, also rendered in ink, provides a balance to the composition and offers a deeper insight into the artist’s thoughts and intentions at the time of creation. The monochrome palette underscores the traditional aesthetic value of this Chinese art form, highlighting the adeptness and nuanced skill of Qi Baishi.
