A romantic at heart, Shiy De-jinn once wrote into one of his paintings the famous poetic words, “True brightness lies in the seasons, genuine fragrance in the soil, and real beauty in the wind and rain.” These words perfectly describe the enduring charm of the artist’s oeuvre. Shiy lived his whole life for his art, and sublimated the hardships and suffering he experienced into works of unique aesthetic appeal, artistic treasures worthy of repeated appreciation. He demonstrated a lifelong passion for life itself; all of the beauty and richness of life can be found in his paintings.

Shiy De-jinn looks at landscape through a modern eye, though in presenting it he gives it an entirely new form. He throws off wonted notions and habits, instead using nature to feel the entirety of the world. This work, “The Brightness Lies in the Seasons”, shows again Shiy’s concern for the soil, as a Taiwanese yellow cow is set against the pleasing scenery of the northeast coast and the hardy yellow autumn trees in the foreground. Taiwan’s rich beautiful landscape is figured wonderfully in Shiy’s painting; his use of color is brilliant, and his composition is forcefully set.