Liang K’ai: Ink Portrait of an Immortal - The (Drunk) Sage, Album Leaf

Liang K’ai (c. 1140-1210) was an artist who broke rules with bold and brief strokes depicting figures, landscapes, and supernatural beings in new ways. Some said unorthodox, others said respectless! He earned his nickname ‘Madman Liang’.
 
According to the text on the back of this album leaf reproduction, the immortal in this picture was painted in what is called “splashed ink”. With a naked, protruding abdomen, and with his coat slung across his shoulders, he is strolling along the street. 
 
According to less diplomatic sources (asianbrushpainter.com), in “A Sage”, he depicts an immortal drunk, “his untidy garment opened and his belly protruding, the Celestial sways forward with a confused look on his face”. (We could find no such image online but the description certainly matches this image!)
 
The artwork is in the collection of the National Palace Museum in Taichung, Taiwan, according to the back of the print.
 
This artwork is on cream colored paper in good vintage condition, meaning it is not discolored but there are some smudges and creases. 
 
H 17 1/8” x L 12 1/8”
 
Disclaimer: We have tried to make sure colors shown in photos are representative of the real colors of each item. We have tried to identify all imperfections in descriptions, but we may have missed some. If you are unhappy with your purchase, let us know.