A Special Exhibition of Painting and Calligraphy on Song Dynasty Decorated Paper,Period 2018.01.01-03.25,Galleries 2、212
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"Decorated paper" generally refers to letter paper that has been specially prepared to give it decoration, and the core of this exhibition features works produced in the Song dynasty (960-1279) with impressed designs. The technique for this type of paper involves carving a design into the press, yielding a pattern in low hollow relief after use. Documentary evidence for decorative pressed paper traces the technique back to the Five Dynasties period (907-960), but the earliest examples we have today are from the Northern Song period, with known pieces being quite rare. And the ones often cited are done so repeatedly, leading to a limited impression of the extent of Song dynasty pressed paper. In fact, our current understanding and study of decorative pressed paper involves mostly later works from the Ming and Qing dynasties, a time from which more surviving examples are extant and hence the source behind the saying that this kind of paper only became popular at that time. However, by conducting a careful study and looking carefully, we actually find that among the works of painting and calligraphy in the National Palace Museum are more than twenty precious examples done on Song dynasty decorative pressed paper. With the exception of a few with designs that are more apparent and have attracted scholarly attention, the remainder are mostly unknown. As in the parable of blind men each touching only one part of an elephant, and thus being unable to attain a complete picture, it has been difficult for us to gain a fuller understanding of decorated paper from this period.

This exhibition features twenty select examples of artwork on decorated paper from the Song dynasty, of which many are letters. Except for some decoration that is quite easy to see, many are difficult to discern with the naked eye, leading to previous misidentification as plain paper. But precisely because of the subtle and reserved nature of this decoration, it testifies to the exceptional refinement of Song dynasty ornamental paper. Unfortunately, the methods of production and mounting combined with wear over nearly a thousand years have made these forms of decoration very difficult to distinguish. Only with special photographic techniques is it possible to rediscover many of these designs lost for nearly a millennium. To allow audiences to clearly see these hidden patterns on Song dynasty artworks, the originals are on display along with photographs that aid in bringing out the subdued splendor of letter-writing culture found in decorative pressed paper. Not only exceptional works of fine art in and of themselves, these objects also reveal outstanding achievements in the art of making decorated paper during the Song dynasty.

Selections

Letter to Feng Jing of the State Farms Bureau ("Siyong")

  1. Cai Xiang (1012-1067), Song dynasty
  2. Album leaf, ink on paper, 29.7 x 39.7 cm

In the fourth lunar month of the Huangyou third year (1051), when Cai Xiang was about to leave Hangzhou, he wrote this farewell letter to Feng Jing (1021-1094). He also presented gifts of "large dragon" pressed tea and a Yue celadon tea bowl, which were quite valuable at the time. "Large dragon" pressed tea was probably still a tribute item for the court, and "small dragon" pressed tea began production as tribute under the supervision of Cai Xiang when he was serving as Transport Commissioner of Fuzhou in 1047.

The brushwork throughout this letter is steady and the characters beautiful and upright, the brush moving fluidly and with ease in a kind of natural grace, making this one of Cai Xiang's masterpieces of semi-cursive calligraphy. Cai also chose weave-pattern decorative paper pressed with a butterfly design consisting of paired butterflies circled by a ring of beads. In fact, it appears much like the design on some porcelains and apparel at the time, perhaps thus having particular meaning.

Letter to Filial Gentleman Guo Tingping

  1. Su Shi (1037-1101), Song dynasty
  2. Album leaf, ink on paper, 26.5 x 30.5 cm

The "filial conduct" mentioned in the letter here refers to the daily activities of a person mourning the passing of a parent, indicating that the recipient Guo Tingping was in such a period of grief. From the contents, it would also appear to have been written in 1075. The style belongs to Su Shi's early manner characterized by elegant beauty, the brushwork fastidious and the lines full and fluid.

This letter was written on a piece of light pastel-colored paper covered with a turtle-shell pattern, and inside each hexagonal motif appears a small turtle. After this design was exported to Japan, it became quite popular there, the turtles sometimes simplified into small flowers. In China, however, it is relatively rare. Although the rites of mourning called for simplicity in every aspect of daily life, Su Shi still chose a kind of decorative paper pressed with this refined turtle-shell pattern. Perhaps he took into consideration that ancient inscribed funerary stones in the shape of a turtle were decorated with a turtle-shell pattern, the choice of design here befitting Guo's circumstances.

Autumn Colors on the Shore

  1. Huizong (1082-1135), Song dynasty
  2. Handscroll, ink on paper, 33 x 237.8 cm

Emperor Huizong, personal name Zhao Ji, was gifted at poetry and excelled at painting and calligraphy. This painting deals with herons in various actions and lotuses arranged in sections across the surface. Both elegantly archaic and an endearing scene, the "sketching ideas" brushwork is used to render the realistic forms, which accords with the more abbreviated painting style of Huizong.

This entire handscroll is done on ornamental pastel-colored paper impressed with decoration. The surface was first coated and then pressed with an elegant pattern of scrolling vegetation, the decoration further filled with material similar to mica-flakes to make it reflective. It was then pressed again with a weave pattern, making it one of the highest-quality papers seen in Song dynasty craftsmanship. Decorative pressed paper was usually reserved for writing and rarely used in painting. The coating on the surface here had a slight impact on the use of brush and ink, the lines revealing an interesting effect but also resulting in some flaking.

Exhibit List

Title
Artist
Period
Note
Letter ("Taosheng")
Cai Xiang (1012-1067)
Song dynasty
Letter to Feng Jing of the State Farms Bureau ("Siyong")
Cai Xiang (1012-1067)
Song dynasty
Letter of Gratitude to a Brother ("Qinyan")
Du Liangchen
Song dynasty (960-1279)
Letter to Bogao, Erudite of the Chamberlain for Ceremonials
Hu Anguo (1074-1138)
Song dynasty
Letter to Gentleman Qi
Huang Tingjian (1045-1105)
Song dynasty
Autumn Colors on the Shore
Huizong (1082-1135)
Song dynasty
On display 1/1-2/12
Poetry Sent to Shilong
Li Zong'e (964-1012)
Song dynasty
Letter to Yishan
Lu Xiufu (1238-1279)
Song dynasty
The Classic of The Lament
Mi Fu (1052-1108), attributed to
Song dynasty
On display 2/13-3/25
Letter ("Jiuliu")
Su Shi (1037-1101)
Song dynasty
Letter ("Letter to Senior Official Dong")
Su Shi (1037-1101)
Song dynasty
Letter ("Pingshi")
Su Shi (1037-1101)
Song dynasty
Letter to Filial Gentleman Guo Tingping
Su Shi (1037-1101)
Song dynasty
Letter to Yunju, Erudite of the Chamberlain for Ceremonials
Su Shi (1037-1101)
Song dynasty
Letter
Wang Gong (1048-?)
Song dynasty
Letter
Xue Shaopeng (fl. ca. 1067-1085)
Song dynasty
Letter ("Junxiu")
Yang Wujiu (1127-1206)
Song dynasty
Letter ("Mingcha")
Zhang Fangping (1007-1091)
Song dynasty
Letter to the Dianyuan Academician
Zhang Jizhi (1186-1266)
Song dynasty
Letter Enquiring After Your Eminent Mother
Zhang Jizhi (1186-1266)
Song dynasty