The pavilion holds a special
place in Asian art history. Traditionally, it is the place to observe and to develop
connoiseurship. A pavilion in the mountains is a place to contemplate the vastness
of nature. This has a special meaning when vistas become obscured with mists.
What is observed is what cannot be seen. This pen depicts the contemplation of
the void. Some amount of flexibility is present in this large 18k nib.
Is this a line of Pine trees on a near hillside? Is the base
of the mountain behind lost in atmospheric perspective?
Function meets aesthetics with
the clip over this mountain scene. Because each of these pens is hand painted,
no two are exactly the same, although the themes and outlines are prescribed.
Each of these pens is signed by the artist with the organization
on the right, "Light of the Nation" in three characters, and the artists
signature, two characters on the left. The red character is a seal. Note the break
where the blind cap meets the barrel. See the cherry tree on the left.
The
Emperor Pavilion is a place to observe and contemplate. In this case, we see springtime
with a cherry tree in full flower.