Village in the Mountains

After relocating to the Bay Area in California, Chang Dai-chien was invited to create two portfolios of original lithographs by the San Francisco-based Editions Press in 1973 and 1974. The prints shown here are from the first set, which includes three dramatic landscapes in Chang’s splashed-ink and splashed-color styles, an exuberant white lotus he typically drew, and a spare persimmon branch with auspicious implication. The prints achieved critical attention locally and were sold out quickly. The second set, which included six full-color prints, was commissioned the next year, and 125 copies were printed. Chang was actively involved in the process of working directly on lithography stones in the studio, suggesting his interest in experimenting with Western techniques and styles to promote traditional ink painting outside China.