Rongbaozhai Painting Spectrum. Ancient Part. 53. Flowers and Birds

Author: (Qing) Bian Shumin (painter)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-05-01
Features: Bian Shumin (1684–1753) was a native of Shanyang, Jiangsu (now Huai'an). His original name was Bian Weiqi, courtesy name Yigong, also known as Jianzeng, and styled himself Moxian. He was renowned for his paintings of reeds and wild geese, often called Bian Luanyan or Bian Yan. As he built a studio among the reeds, he styled himself "Wejian Jushi" (Resident of the Reed Patch). In his later years, he also took the names Wejian Laomin, Liuru Jushi, Chuo Weng, and Chuo Chuo Laoren, among others. Bian Shumin was born into a declining scholarly family. From a young age, he was diligent in his studies and excelled in calligraphy, imitating the style of Taofu. At the age of twenty-one, he passed the county-level examination to become a xiaosan (a candidate for the imperial examinations), but he was indifferent to fame and fortune, especially in his middle years, dedicating himself to painting, which brought him increasing acclaim. He was celebrated for his mastery of painting reeds and wild geese, with his works rarely repeating themselves, displaying a myriad of poses. Starting from the physical form and structure of the subjects, he neither adopted Western-style block modeling nor fully embraced the wash techniques of traditional Chinese meticulous painting. Instead, he used dry brush and light ink, lightly scraping and rubbing just enough to achieve the desired effect, while outlining the outer contours with fine lines, creating a sense of "subtle yet profound, solid yet clear." His paintings often leave large areas of blank space. His small-scale works fully embody the artistic principle of "painting should not merely imitate predecessors but capture their spirit."