Chang Dai-chien's Masterpieces

This set of hanging scroll panels that form a consecutive scene was done at the Zhaojue Temple in Chengdu in 1945. At the time, Chang Dai-chien had not long beforehand returned from his trip to study and copy the wall paintings at Dunhuang. Perhaps inspired to recreate the grand paintings he had seen there, Chang did these large hanging scroll paintings reaching more than three meters in height. This monumental work is signed as "Painted in the manner of Dadizi," referring to the early Qing artist Shitao (1642-1707) when painting the petals in light ink and using dark ink for the hooked tips. The composition here indeed suggests the grandeur of wall paintings from the High Tang, the taut and powerful brushwork similar to the "Wu Style" of the Tang master Wu Daozi (680-740). The leaves and flowers twist and turn like the dancing movements of the flying heavenly maidens at Dunhuang, filling the composition with breezy animation, something perhaps beyond Shitao. This is why Chang Dai-chien proudly wrote, "The idea of a flower and a leaf from the west, is this something that Dadi (Shitao) would have recognized at the time?"

This set of paintings, ranked as a Significant Historic Artifact, is from the collection of the National Museum of History.

Lake Walen (Walensee) is located in the northern Alps at an altitude of 419 meters. Ringed by high mountains north and south, it is a haven in Switzerland for summer retreats and winter skiing. This handscroll painting done in 1960 after Chang Dai-chien had visited the country shows the narrow, winding body of the lake. In the foreground are more rounded mountaintops lined with fir trees with the distinctive architecture of buildings that dot the foothills. In the distance are irregular jagged mountains similar in shape to the outline of Churfirsten, indicating faithfulness to the actual scenery on the part of the artist. Chang Dai-chien first used brush and ink methods from the school of Dong Yuan and Juran, two tenth-century painters, then added splashed ink and washes for spirited lightness as well as intricate layering of mists and reflections. The mountains are beautiful and the lake still as a mirror in this masterful effort by Chang Dai-chien based on his travels.

This painting is from the collection of the National Museum of History.

This scroll, painted in 1969, depicts a monumental mountain rising into the middle of the composition rendered in blue-and-green splashed colors and ink. The effect is moist and hoary, giving depth and grandeur to the scenery. The base of the mountain is not shown, the artist offering the viewer a lofty bird's-eye perspective that also presents a glimpse at the distance expanding beyond to a level distance and river scene dotted with sails. The fine-line and sketchy manners have been skillfully integrated into an unusual yet grand composition that suggests both majesty and beauty at the same time. Chang Dai-chien had this painting mounted in its current format in 1972, borrowing the name of a painting in his collection by the tenth-century master Juran to write the title slip. Fond of that painting very much, he used its title for this work, indicating perhaps how highly he thought of his accomplishment here as well.

In these two hanging scrolls almost 360 centimeters tall that form a couplet, Chang Dai-chien did the main large running script at the age of 47 and the small running script inscriptions at 72. A monumental work of calligraphy also spanning several decades, it is truly rare among his surviving pieces. The character structure here is tight, but the extending strokes are expansive, the dots often taking the place of horizontal strokes in a style that reflects the influence of the Song calligrapher Huang Tingjian (1045-1105). The horizontal and vertical lines, enlarged hook strokes, and "silk head, wild goose tail" features of the brushwork all reflect the manner from the ancient "Stone Gate" and "Burying the Crane" inscriptions in stone. However, Chang Dai-chien further emphasized the movement when lifting and applying the brush, creating a dramatic contrast between dark ink and "flying white" effects. The turns of the brush are also angular, conveying the feeling of powerful brushwork and forceful movement within each stroke, thereby further adding a sense of unusual and untrammeled energy to this impressive work.

Mr. Chang Chi-cheng donated this monumental couplet to the National Palace Museum.