Final answer:
Ma Yuan's twelfth-century artwork exemplifies simplicity through the use of minimal visual elements, connecting to minimalistic principles such as 'less is more' and geometric abstraction.
Step-by-step explanation:
This work by the twelfth-century academic painter Ma Yuan is an excellent example of b) Simplicity with minimal visual elements. Ma Yuan, famous for his sparse yet expressive paintings, often focused on the essence of the subject matter with as few strokes as possible, an aesthetic closely tied to the Zen philosophy. This approach highlights the beauty and the power of simplicity. This technique involved the use of minimal details to convey the larger subject, often resonating with the concepts of minimalism which began post World War II and embraced principles such as fundamental geometric abstraction, 'less is more', and a streamlined visual experience. Ma Yuan's work can be viewed as aligning remarkably well with such ideals, even preceding them.