Page 11 - September 20 2021 Fabian Collection of Chinese Paintings Art Bonhams NYC

A Word from the Contented Temporary Keeper 雲煙過眼自怡悅
Rev. Richard Fabian 費立哲

Opening a Chinese handscroll, vertical scroll or album is like
answering your doorbell to find a whole guest party on your doorstep 展開一幅中國畫，手卷也好、立軸也罷亦或是一本冊頁，就猶如聽到門鈴
already chatting together or even singing in chorus. They cross 一響，打開門發現一眾嘉賓站在門口相與言歡。他們徑直走進門來，歡歌
your threshold and continue their conversation and song while 笑語不曾停歇，而起初只是觀望的你，也被吸引著不知不覺便融入其中。
you, listening at first, are drawn in to join them. Every Chinese artist 每一位中國藝術家都追求這樣的效果，不論面對的觀眾欣賞水平如何。
expects this, no matter what viewers’ depth of appreciation. When 當你不得不合上這幅畫作，他們便安靜下來，直到你再次打開畫卷，歡歌
you must roll up a work they fall silent—but only until you open the 笑語又重新響起。西方的歌劇家可以在交響樂伴奏下高唱詠歎調；但即
next, whereupon they resume. Western opera stars may sing virtuoso 使是最偉大的中國藝術家也從不獨唱。他們的合唱跨越時空，正如歐洲
arias to symphony accompaniment; but not even the greatest 作曲家門德爾松和普朗克那般。去年我收藏了一幅住在灣區的上海畫家
Chinese artist sings solo. Their chorus crosses centuries, the way 鄭重賓的抽象水墨畫。這幅在審美上和技術上都充滿創新的作品，無論
European composers Mendelssohn and Poulenc did. Last year I 如何不能算是一幅山水畫；但畫中的明暗平衡卻使我想起了北宋畫家范
bought an abstract ink painting by Zheng Chongbin, a Shanghai 寬的山水大作〈谿山行旅圖〉，該畫現藏於台北故宮博物院。我問重賓他
painter now living near San Francisco. Aesthetically and technically 的作品是否是對〈谿山行旅圖〉的致敬與回應，他說：「不是，但我們對那
innovative, it was never a landscape; nevertheless its light and dark 幅畫都太過熟悉，所以它自然就顯現出來了。」
balances recalled for me “Travelers Among Mountains and Streams,”
a monumental Northern Song landscape by Fan Kuan, now in the 中國藝術家為世界上最大的藝術受眾群體而創作。 西方人可以為博物
Palace Museum, Taipei. I asked Chongbin whether he had designed 館或自己的住所收藏藝術——但很少有人自己創作，或是能從自己的嘗試
his work to echo it. He answered “No, but we all know that painting 中認識高超的技巧。最近在教會興起的聖像繪畫班多少提供了一些當今
so well it can show up on its own.” 流行的藝術體驗，但在西方，只有美食作家才擁有如此龐大的跟風實踐
群體。中國書法則是最有力的證明，因為每一個受過教育的中國人都曾跟
Chinese artists work for the world’s grandest artistic republic. 隨老師練習毛筆字，多數人都懂得欣賞氣勢磅礴的筆觸，哪怕鮮有人自己
Westerners may collect fine art for museums or their homes—but 能夠做到。我用圓珠筆寫的字尚屬勉強可看，但中國畫廊開幕式上，邀請
few paint by themselves, or can recognize outstanding skill from 來賓簽到留言時，用的卻是毛筆。當然，我肯定要試一試。這時，在家裡
their own action. The recent spread of icon painting workshops in 我永遠不會看到的事情發生了：在我拿著毛筆寫字時， 十幾個中國人過
churches does afford a hint of popular artistic experience today. 來圍觀，高聲評論這個外國人的書法。
But only Western gourmet cookbook authors write for such a broad
world of practitioners. Chinese Calligraphy gives the strongest 中國藝術吸引觀者無止境地登高遠眺，正如許多立軸畫中展現的那樣。
evidence, because every literate Chinese has learned to write with 耶魯大學的吳訥孫教授曾安排我們一班學生到圖書館，記下六十幅出版
a brush under a teacher’s eye, and most have learned to admire a 過的作品，并按照自己的喜好排名次。吳教授從未指正我們的觀點，只
magnificent stroke even if few can draw one. My own hand writes 是指出每人選擇的可取之處，然後每週安排我們去東岸的圖書館和博物
readably with ballpoint pens. But Chinese gallery openings invite 館參觀，記下更多筆記。學期末再次排序時，大家發現同樣的結果：除了
visitors to sign a guest document and even add comments, using 范寬的名作（依然位列所有人清單之首），那些九月開學時大家喜歡的作
brush and ink. Of course I must attempt it. Something happens there 品，在次年五月學期末排名都靠後了，而之前幾乎無人在意的作品卻名列
as never at home: even as I write, a dozen Chinese gather around 前茅。十年後在舊金山，吳教授的朋友曹仲英以同樣的方式指導了我四
commenting aloud on the foreigner’s calligraphy. 十年，教我認識每個書畫家的好，并告訴我旅行時要盡量多看。很多目光
敏銳的朋友給了我寶貴的建議，他們有的了解中國傳統，有的未必。正因
Chinese art draws viewers in an endless climb upward to broader 為有這些良師益友，我才構建起這個收藏，吸納諸多近代名家的佳作傑
views, as indeed many vertical landscape paintings do. Yale 構。如今這批藏品行將釋出，我會想念它們但卻心中無悔。相反，我感覺
Professor Nelson Wu sent us students to the library to take card 自己像是一位高中校長，目送著一批畢業生步入新的大學，開始職業生
notes on sixty published works, and rank them as we preferred. 涯。我為他們每一位都感到驕傲自豪。
Never correcting our observations, he pointed out valid qualities in
each choice, and sent us back weekly to look at more and more
in East Coast libraries and collections, ever writing out more card
notes. Ranking the lot once more at year’s end, we all found the
same result: apart from the Fan Kuan masterwork (which still topped
everyone’s list) those we preferred in September had fallen far in
May, while others we barely liked in the fall had risen near the top.
A decade later at San Francisco, Professor Wu’s friend Jung Ying
Tsao guided my steps the same way for forty years, pointing out
calligraphers’ and painters’ virtues and telling me always to look
at more and more art as I traveled. Clear-eyed friends gave me
invaluable advice, some who knew Chinese tradition and some not.
Thanks to such teachers I assembled a body that shows leading
modern artists attain their artistic peak. Releasing these works now,
I will miss them but have no regrets. Instead I feel like a high school
headmaster watching the sixth form senior class graduate and go on
to their new colleges and careers. I am proud of every single one.

FINE CHINESE PAINTINGS | 7