Selections
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Fishing in Reclusion on an Autumn River
- Wu Zhen (1280-1354), Yuan dynasty
Wu Zhen (style name Zhonggui; sobriquets Meihua daoren and Mei daoren) was a native of Jiaxing in Zhejiang. In this work, a flying cascade plummets between precipitous cliffs in majestic mountains, the trees in the foothills appearing lush and luxuriant. The far mountains and expanse of lake water, with the foreground larger and the distance small, add a sense of layered space. The brush strokes in the long "hemp fiber" texturing of the land forms are steady yet strong, the ink for the "moss dots" also varied and dynamic, much in the manner of Wu Zhen's own style. Two pine trees rise in the foreground with buildings scattered below. Reeds dot the banks and shallows as a fishing skiff rides upon the gentle waves. Imagery of the recluse-fisherman in the Yuan dynasty was a metaphor for the sentiments of many scholars.
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Collaborative Painting of Panshan
- Yao Wenhan (fl. ca. 1743-1778) and Yuan Ying (fl. ca. 1765-1785), Qing dynasty
Panshan, or Mount Pan, is a scenic area in Ji County of Tianjin City and famous for its mountain streams, ancient pines, and exotic rock formations. The Qing dynasty emperors always passed by this area on their way to the Eastern Mausoleums to pay respect to their ancestors. The Qianlong emperor on several occasions stopped by the Jingji Mountain Retreat there and composed poetry in praise, also ordering court scholar-painters to depict the scenery of Panshan. The work here features rolling hills in layers, the pine trees scattered with buildings, pavilions, and temples placed among the peaks; the "ruled-line" painting here is quite skillful. On the painting, the name of every site is labeled at its respective place using regular script. This hanging scroll dated to 1779 was a collaborative effort by Yao Wenhan and Yuan Ying, two court painters of the middle to late Qianlong reign (1736-1795).
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Mountains High, Waters Long
- Kuncan (1612-ca. 1683), Qing dynasty
Kuncan (style name Jieqiu and often known by his other style name, Shixi) signed himself as "Shi daoren" in later years. A native of Wuling in Hunan, in his youth he took part in resisting Qing dynasty troops. Later, he became a practicing Buddhist monk who also had an avid interest in painting. During his travels to Huangshan (the Yellow Mountains), he became enamored with the marvelous scenery there and often did works based on its sites. This hanging scroll depicts Tiandu ("Heavenly Capital") Peak in a sea of clouds with craggy pines after a rain late in the day with all its transient effects. To depict the land forms, Kuncan used a stubby brush and dry ink, which was rubbed onto the surface with washes and a base of light ocher coloring. The arrangement is complex and scenery dense, having much of the manner associated with the Yuan dynasty master Wang Meng (1308-1385). Mr. Chang Chun donated this painting to the National Palace Museum.
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Mount Hua in Lofty Autumn
- Chang Dai-chien (1899-1983), Republican period
Chang Dai-chien (named Yuan, sobriquet Daqian [Dai-chien] jushi) was a native of Neijiang in Sichuan. Mount Hua, or Huayue ("Hua Peak"), is famous as "The Most Precipitous Mountain in the Country." Here, the artist used sharp "axe-cut" texture strokes to render the steep and jagged mountains there, employing a large brush to mass ink dots into patches for the clouds. The coloring also features light reddish touches, the land forms with bright faces in ocher and the darker sides in bluish cyan to give the surface variety as well as light and shade to the landscape. This painting, measuring 361 centimeters in height, was done in 1960, when Chang Dai-chien was 62 by Chinese reckoning. Many of the landscape paintings he did at this time reflect recollections of scenery in China and his yearnings for travels of old.
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Exhibit List
| Title | Artist | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing in Reclusion on an Autumn River | Wu Zhen (1280-1354) | Yuan dynasty |
| Collaborative Painting of Panshan | Yao Wenhan (fl. ca. 1743-1778) and Yuan Ying (fl. ca. 1765-1785) | Qing dynasty |
| Mountains High, Waters Long | Kuncan (1612-ca. 1683) | Qing dynasty |
| Mount Hua in Lofty Autumn | Chang Dai-chien (1899-1983) | Republican period |