Huang Zhou

Author: Huang Zhu / Li Song
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: The painter, drawing upon the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, unites with the wondrous imagination of the human heart. Standing between heaven and earth, the painter is surrounded by all phenomena. With thoughts blending with delight, suddenly and decisively, they wield the brush to pursue what they see, hear, and feel. With a resounding cry, they create works in myriad forms, resulting in masterpieces. Our country's painting has deep roots, dating back to Gu Kaizhi in the Jin Dynasty. For over a thousand years, numerous schools have emerged, with outstanding masters in each generation. From the north to the south, talented artisans have emerged, each with distinct styles, forming their own unique charm. The vast Yangtze River and the majestic Kunlun Mountains are not enough to describe their lofty heights. Later generations, wishing to learn the details and appreciate their wonders, find it difficult. I was born unable to paint but by observing the works of ancient and modern masters, along with the inevitable changes of their times, I came to understand that learning the rules enables one to transcend them. The ancients said that this path allows one to their aspirations—was that truly the case? Reading through the masterpieces of the past, I feel that their methods are like reflections in a mirror, water and moon—apparent yet elusive; while their lack of rules is like the boundless blue sky and clear water, vast and endless. Our society gathers the works of ancient and modern masters, selecting the finest from each era, detailing their lives, artistic theories, technical characteristics, and lineage. This allows readers to see a glimpse and grasp the whole, understand one painter and grasp an era's art, and through reading the collections of dozens of painters, gain an overview of our country's thousands of years of painting civilization. Due to the passage of time and frequent wars, countless masterpieces have been lost or damaged. Some famous painters left no works, some works survive but are scarce, and some painters were renowned yet their lives and deeds remain unrecorded. As a result, few illustrations and texts have survived, making comprehensive introductions impossible. Thus, we gather the works of several painters, at least better than having nothing. In the past, Ouyang Xun compiled The Collection of Art and Literature and said, "I wish to make every family rich in pearls and every person possess jade, each expressing their own views." This collection embodies that spirit. This book includes the lives and deeds of the painters, their artistic journeys, painting styles, discussions on art, critiques from various scholars, timelines, and catalogs of their surviving works. It also features numerous photographs of the painters' daily lives and work, as well as nearly 200 of their paintings. The information is detailed, the illustrations and texts complement each other, making it both academically rigorous and engaging to read. It is an invaluable source for experts and scholars studying Chinese painters, as well as an excellent work for art enthusiasts to understand Chinese painting art.