Text / Zhang Yanqin
Some
people say that in traditional Chinese painting, it is best to draw ghosts and
demons, because these images can not be seen by everyone, so they can be
painted in a random manner. This is really an outsider. Those who say this do
not know how to draw. They think that they are painted it was like, and think
that they are the things that exist in their eyes, it’s called painting.
In fact,
the ghosts and demons are similar to other objects in painting. Once they
appear as traditional Chinese paintings, they mainly talk about their brushes
and styles. Brush and ink and style constitute the most fundamental core of Chinese painting.
You draw
well or not, it compare the brush and ink with the realm, rather than resembling or not. Therefore, Su Dongpo said: "in
the form of painting, we see children next to each other. A poem must be a
poem, and it is not a poet. "
But even
from the point of view of brush and ink and realm, it is still has difficult
and easy. In my opinion, the most difficult to draw in the traditional Chinese
painting is obviously the four gentlemen of plum orchid bamboo chrysanthemum, besides,
there are pine trees and willow branches. Pine trees are difficult to draw
because of their craggy and complexity and varied
styles; but willow branches are difficult to draw, is just the opposite,
because of its simplicity, there are few changes.
Therefore, those who are good at painting pines will be able to
see simplicity and fidelity in their craggy and complexity.
those who are good at painting willows will be able to see graceful and
implicit in the very simple. Plum orchid bamboo and chrysanthemum, its
complexity and simplicity, care about between pine and willow, it's not good to
draw. But it is because of it’s not easy to painting but be able to draw it
well, so that see the real ability of the painter.
Just like
a person who can speak without speaking, his accomplishments can be said to be
very high.
The pines
were Li Xiongcai painted are beautiful and handsome, seem as complicated but
simply, he is a real master. The pines were Pan Tianshou painted, although
these are look like spiral and complicated, but it is easy for a viewer to see
the firm and unyielding character, also see his effects in the simply. The
willow tree draws well, Qi Baishi can be counted as the first in the ancient
and modern. A few lines seemed to descend from the sky, but they were full of
twists and turns. It's for willow branches, under the willow branches, there
are only a few strokes of buffalo, with both form and spirit. The whole picture
is unsophisticated and calm, only a master can do it.
Today, I
see Mr. Dongyou drawing pines, suddenly remembering a seven character poem of
Tang Dynasty poet Jing Yun, it is saying:
Painting
a pine tree like a real pine tree, and to think about, but remember nothing? Once
seen in Tiantai Mountain, the third tree on the south side of the stone bridge.
To see
the pine of Mr. Dongyou, I also think of the pine. However, it is not the pine
in nature, but the pine in the previous generation painters. Such as Pan
Tianshou, Li Xiongcai, and so on. Of course, the pine of Mr. Yu also benefited
from Shi Tao. He learned from Pan Tianshou, so he gets its vigorous; imitated
from Shi Tao, so he gets its pretty and smooth.
Pan
Tianshou has vigorous but without pretty and smooth, Shi Tao has pretty and
smooth but without vigorous, Mr. Dongyou combines of both, without hindering
each other. This is the overall style of Mr. Dongyou's painting. Whether it's a
small work or a huge work, it's all like that. The style is highly unified,
which is the so-called simplicity in art. The so-called simplicity is not the
simple meaning of the picture.
Mr. Dongyou
is good at making huge volumes, including 28 meters long and 1.8 meters high of
Wan He Song Tao, although the picture is only a pine tree, the metamorphosis is
infinite. Or windward high standing, or stretching and
extending, or hidden haze, or flying in neon color, and the style is all the
same. The overall picture is integrated, and no slack can be seen. It can be
called a masterpiece.
Under
careful scrutiny, on the surface of it, is combined the skill of Mr. Shi Tao
and Tian Shou are in the same way, in fact, the most decisive thing is that
they are painted suitable for a painting with calligraphy. Mr. Dong you is an
apprentice to Mr. Zhou Guocheng. Mr. Zhou advocates calligraphy and painting homology, and suitable in a painting with
calligraphy, it’s known as word-of-mouth in south of the Five Ridges. Dongyou
gets the true meaning, so that his pines is suitable for a painting with
calligraphy everywhere in the eyes of the people can be understanding painting,
so it can be distinct and uniform style, it seems that few artists can do this.
Mr. Dongyou are also good at writing bamboos.
The
quality of painting bamboo depends entirely on the writing of calligraphy.
Dongyou
can firmly grasp the iron rule of "suitable for a painting with
calligraphy", so that they can move forward on the right path and reach
the ideal shore, which is a natural thing.
The right
way is more important than anything. Moreover, the beautiful scenery along the
way is not accessible to everyone. Wang Xianzhi used to "go up from the
mountain path" but felt that "the mountains and rivers are self
inflection with each other, making people to busy to seeing". Today, Mr.
Dong you must be giving birth to all kinds of "too much" when he
manages to write bamboo.
A brief
introduction to the author of Zhang Yanqin
A member of
Chinese Painting Art Committee of Guangdong Artists Association
A member
of the Planning Committee