Winter at Villa on the River

This painting is one of many Chinese artworks that feature winter scenery. The theme was often a metaphor for fortitude, strength, and the merits of solitude. Painters used a technique known as daoyuan, in which the snow-laden landscape is indicated by the bare white silk, while the surrounding, darker background is painted with ink wash. Using this technique, artists were able to create wintery scenes of great tranquility and calm.