Hu Gui’s Four Seasons Landscape Album (《四时山水图册》)
This Qing Dynasty masterpiece, painted by ​Hu Gui (胡桂, fl. 18th–19th century), a Suzhou-born court artist renowned for his poetic landscapes, comprises ​four albums (eight leaves each) depicting seasonal transitions through lyrical mountain-and-water scenes. Painted in ink and color on paper (approx. 31 × 31.8 cm per leaf), the set is housed in the ​National Palace Museum, Taipei.

​Seasonal Narratives

1. ​Spring: Verdant Terraces (春臺積翠)
   • Scenes: Strolling with a Staff on Plum Ridge (梅嶺曳杖), Emerald Peaks by the Lake (平湖翠嶺), Lofty Pavilion in Mountain Streams (溪山高閣), Leisurely Fishing at Reed Bank (蘆岸釣艇).
   • Mood: Captures rejuvenation with delicate washes of green and vignettes of scholars communing with nature.
2. ​Summer: Bridges in Misty Mountains (夏山溪橋)
   • Scenes: Boating on Calm Waters (平湖放艇), Lotus Pond Beneath Cloud-Capped Peaks (雲山荷塘), Fishing at Reed Marshes (蘆汀捕魚).
   • Technique: Uses layered ink textures to evoke humidity and the drama of impending storms (Summer Rain Approaching 夏雨欲來).
3. ​Autumn: Clear Skies Over Serene Valleys (秋宇澄空)
   • Scenes: Guests Arriving at a Mountain Retreat (野居客至), Reading in a Paulownia Courtyard (桐院坐讀), Playing the Qin by a Spring (撫琴聽泉).
   • Symbolism: Golden ochre tones mirror harvest abundance, while empty pavilions suggest transience.
4. ​Winter: Tranquil Cliffs (冬巖貞靜)
   • Scenes: Solitary Boat by a Frosted Pavilion (孤舟虛亭), Geese Flying Over Withered Woods (枯林飛雁), Plum Blossoms by Misty Stream (雲溪梅香).
   • Aesthetic: Minimalist ink washes and strategic blank spaces embody Zen-like stillness.

​Artist & Provenance

• ​Hu Gui: A former court musician (伶官) turned painter, Hu was summoned by Emperor Qianlong for his landscapes reminiscent of ​Yun Shouping (恽寿平). His works for the imperial household, including fan paintings gifted to nobles, blend literati refinement with documentary precision.
• ​Colophons: Bears Hu’s inscription “臣胡桂敬繪” (Respectfully painted by Your Servant Hu Gui) and the ​Xuantong yulan zhi bao (宣統御覽之寶) seal, tracing its journey from Qing palaces to modern Taipei.

Legacy: A bridge between courtly grandeur and scholarly introspection, this album epitomizes the 18th-century revival of Four Seasons themes, influencing later artists like ​Dai Xi.