Commentary on the Painter Wang Shen in Semicursive Script (Xingshu)
Artist
Ye Yanlan
(Chinese, 1823 - 1898)
Date1859
MaterialsInk on paper
DimensionsH. 65 in x W. 12 1/4 in, H. 165.1 cm x W. 31.1 cm (overall); H. 29 1/2 in x W. 8 1/4 in, H. 74.9 cm x W. 21.0 cm (image)
Credit LineThe Yeh Family Collection
Object number2003.41
DepartmentChinese Art
ClassificationsPainting
On View
Not on viewSignedArtist signature and date: 東竹一兄先生雅屬。己末仲秋下浣，葉衍蘭。
Seal：“衍蘭之印” 朱白文相間方印；“蘭臺”朱文方印。
按：己末為1859年。
Inscribed王晋卿文藻風流，掩映當代。所作畫水墨則仿李成，著色則師李將軍。此卷乃仿李將軍，樓閣、橋梁，極其工緻，濃郁中饒有青葱之色，趙千里不能及也。至末段遙山遠浦，更極畫家妙致。曹秋岳贈余一卷，布景不多，悠然有海闊天空之妙，後宣和帝題《烟江叠嶂圖》，殊無所謂叠嶂也。祥符張雲菴見而愛之，携去。秋岳又有一卷，亭閣脩整，新荷滿池(點去“地”字)，後有范石湖詩字俱妙。
More InformationHere Yanlan's talent as a calligrapher is combined with his musings on art. He wrote this work at the request of his friend Dongzhu, who wanted Yanlan's opinion about a painting by the Song dynasty artist Wang Shen (1036–?). Not only did Yanlan praise Wang's work, but he introduced Dongzhu to his friend Cao Qiuyue, who was also attracted to Wang's art.
Written in semicursive script, this work of calligraphy contains a short discussion of paintings of the Song dynasty (960–1279), often considered the classic era of Chinese art. Yanlan's writing details the virtues of painter Wang Shen and his stylistic
contemporaries Li Cheng (919–967), Li Sixun (653–718), and Zhao Boju (1100s). Toward the end, Yanlan mentions two Wang Shen paintings owned by Cao Qiuyue.
Written in semicursive script, this work of calligraphy contains a short discussion of paintings of the Song dynasty (960–1279), often considered the classic era of Chinese art. Yanlan's writing details the virtues of painter Wang Shen and his stylistic
contemporaries Li Cheng (919–967), Li Sixun (653–718), and Zhao Boju (1100s). Toward the end, Yanlan mentions two Wang Shen paintings owned by Cao Qiuyue.
