Yuan Yao’s Penglai Immortal Realm Scroll

Accession Number: New 00005571

Penglai Immortal Realm Scroll, Qing Dynasty, painted by Yuan Yao. Ink and color on silk, vertical 266.2 cm, horizontal 163 cm.

The artist’s inscription reads: “Penglai Immortal Realm. Painted by Yuan Yao of Han Shang in the autumn month of the Dingyou year.” Seals: “Yuan Yao Zhi Yin” and “Zhao Dao Shi.“

The Yuan family (father and son) created numerous works depicting the Penglai Immortal Realm, but this scroll by Yuan Yao stands out as the most magnificent. The mountain forms in the painting exhibit dynamic contours, appearing both abrupt and fantastical. The rocks, rendered with the ghost-face texture stroke technique, showcase bizarre shapes and rich layers. The opulent, orderly palaces seamlessly merge with the majestic, animated landscape, creating a striking contrast between movement and stillness, order and vitality, all while exuding grandeur.

As professional painters, Yuan Jiang and Yuan Yao inevitably repeated similar themes and adopted stylized techniques. Architectural historians note that the buildings in their works “do not reflect Qing Dynasty architecture but instead amalgamate various historical architectural styles depicted in paintings… Overall layouts and structures often deviate from architectural norms and principles.” This reflects the era’s emphasis on artistic visual impact over structural accuracy, as well as the influence of market demands on artistic creation.

Author: Fu Dongguang