The Abstraction of the Taoist Landscape: The Transformation in the Aesthetics of Shitao and Zao Wou-Ki
Abstract
This article explores the connection between art, nature, and spirituality in the works of two painters from different temporal and cultural contexts: Shitao, a 17th-century Taoist painter, and Zao Wou-Ki, a 20th-century contemporary artist. Through the analysis of their writings and artistic productions, the study seeks to identify convergences in their approaches to art as a mediator between humans and nature. The article examines how both artists, through their pictorial styles, capture the essence of nature and express a spiritual transcendence rooted in the Taoist conception of landscape. Using a comparative approach, it investigates how their works reflect the unity between matter and form, exploring landscape as a visual metaphor for the inner space of the self. The study concludes that, despite their stylistic and temporal differences, both artists share a common spiritual quest that transcends the formal boundaries of art.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ángel Caño Hidalgo
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