Grapevine in the Wind

In the pictureWithin a dark green silk mounting, a thick grapevine stretches from right to left, and among its branches broad leaves and bunches of grapes lean to one side as if swept by the wind. The only color is ink: leaves in front painted in dark ink overlap leaves behind painted in pale ink to create depth. The silk has darkened with age, giving the whole a brownish cast.

BackgroundGrapes were a favorite subject of Joseon dynasty scholars: their many grapes stood for numerous descendants, and their unbroken vines for long life. In the 16th century several painters were known for their grape paintings, but the artist of this one has not been identified. A vine swaying in the wind is a way of bringing movement into a static grape painting, the same idea as painting bamboo in the wind.

Puzzle tipInk paintings are solved by the direction and tone of the brushstrokes. The thick vine pieces have a clear direction in which the line continues, so they are good to join first, and the leaf pieces can be sorted into dark and pale. Since many pieces show only bare silk, 100 pieces or fewer is recommended, and the green border pieces of the mounting are easy because they are edges.