Pure and severe, the air suddenly turns harsh; across a thousand cliffs pines appear like shadows through the snow. I clean my inkstone not just to paint, but to reveal the images in my mind. The Song dynasty [960–1279] method of depicting snow has largely been lost to most contemporary [artist]. I’ve tried to imitate it, but don’t know if I’ve caught it nor not. Painted by Dai Benxiao, Woodcutter of Mount Ying’e of Liyang [Anhui] by the ancient Pavilion for Pleasing One’s Mind. Dai Benxiao (Chinese, 1621–1693) @ The Metropolitan Museum of Art