Rongbaozhai Painting Spectrum (Ancient Part 53 Flowers and Birds)

Author: (Qing) Bian Shumin (painter)
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2002-05-01
Features: Bian Shumin (1684–1753) was a native of Shanyang, Jiangsu (now Huai'an). His original name was Bian Weiqi, styled Yigong, also known as Jianzeng, and titled Moxian. He was renowned for his paintings of reeds and wild geese, earning the names Bian Luyan and Bian Yan. He built a studio among reeds and thus styled himself "Wejian Jushi" (Resident of the Reed Grove). In his later years, he also adopted titles such as 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 remained indifferent to worldly gains, especially in middle age, dedicating himself to painting, which brought him increasing fame. He was celebrated for his skill in painting reeds and wild geese, and his works were rarely repetitive, displaying a wide variety of poses. He focused on the physical form and structure of the subjects, avoiding both Western-style block rendering and the full wash techniques of traditional Chinese meticulous painting. Instead, he used dry brush and light ink, with subtle scraping and rubbing, stopping just short of excess, while outlining the outer contours with fine lines to achieve a sense of "subtle yet profound, solid yet clear." His paintings often left large areas of blank space. His small-scale works fully embodied the artistic principle of "painting should not merely imitate predecessors but capture their spirit."