Page 184 - Christie's Fine Chinese Modern and Contemporary Ink Paintings hk may 226 27 2021

“ When you paint with a finger, it is easy to extract; but hard to complicate;
it is easy to be expressive, but hard to be meticulous.
If you are careless, you lose control and then the canvas becomes messy and nonsensical.”

- Pan Tianshou

“ 指頭畫，易概括，不易複雜，宜寫意，不易細整，稍不留意，
易蹈狂塗亂抹、怪誕無理之病，每為循規蹈矩、寸步不亂者所側目。”
─ 潘天壽《聽天閣畫談隨筆》

Pan Tianshou, a towering figure in the 20th- 二十世紀中國書畫家中，潘天壽之為人，以
century Chinese art circle, was known for his 及其作品之雄奇、倔強、堂正，向為時人所
majestic, tenacious and upright compositions. 稱譽。
Fellow painter Wu Fuzhi once commented
that Pan’s was an opportunistic artist as he 潘天壽繪畫之構圖，以“險絕”著稱。吳茀
would often create visual as an opportunity 之（1900-1977）分析他的作品，認為其特
to overcome and conquer them. Painted in 有的“造險”與“破險”手法，創造出雄
1956, Hen on Rock is the most iconic of his 渾、壯闊與驚奇之美感。這幅創作於1956年
compositions. A giant rectangular rock stands 之《磐石墨雞圖》，為潘氏典型構圖風格。
tall and occupies most of the painting like 作品中一巨型長方磐石，以極富骨力之線條
a treacherous cliff; a hen sits on top of the 勾勒，險峻而生動地聳立於中央，幾乎佔滿
rock; young bamboo and orchids grow at 整個畫面。如此侷促的佈局，彷彿自陷險境
the bottom. These three elements are placed 般。而左上方盤踞的墨雞，以及右下方勁挺
together rhythmically with the contrast of 生動的幼竹和蘭草，卻令畫面保持了一種靜
grey tones and the various thickness of lines 態的平衡。巨石上用飽含水分的濃墨描繪出
that show the flexibility of the artist's hand. By 實輕而似重的墨雞，與赭色淡抹表現出厚重
reinvigorating the tradition of finger painting, 而輕靈的巨石，形成強烈的虛實對比，彼此
Pan's lines are "as strong as steel and bone", he 呼應。如此大膽巧妙的佈局，配合畫家鏗鏘
once said, “I can lift weights and fight a beast 有力、明快響亮的節奏，格外令人醒目醒
with my fingers.” 神，展現置諸險地而求生之妙。
Fig. 1. Jiefang Daily reporting on Voroshilov’s visit to
The recipient of the painting was Kliment China, 16 April 1957. 潘天壽的作品向來富有鋼筋鐵骨的結構之
Voroshilov (1881-1969), a prominent Soviet 圖1 《解放日報》1957年4月16日頭版對伏氏訪華之行 美，這在他的指墨畫作品中更為顯著。向來
military officer and politician during the 作了整版報導。 被視為“末技”的指墨畫，在他的指間發展
Stalin era. He was one of the original five 成氣勢磅礡的巨製。他用手指不同部位所產
Marshals of the Soviet Union, the highest military rank of the Soviet 生的線條變化，與傳統筆墨相比，更為簡樸古拙，別有逸趣。潘天壽
Union, and served as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme 晚年創作之巨幀，絕大多為指墨畫，他曾題詩自喻：“老夫指力能扛
Soviet, the nominal Soviet head of state, from 1953 to 1960. In April 鼎，不遣毛龍張一軍。”句子裡透露出畫家的倔強自信與雄渾氣魄。
1957, at the invitation of Mao Zedong, Voroshilov visited China and
toured around major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and 本幅作品上款人“伏羅希洛夫”（Kliment Voroshilov, 1881-1969）
Guangzhou. During the visit, he held exchanges with local businesses, 為五十年代蘇聯最高領導人。1957年4月間，伏羅希洛夫應毛澤東之
schools, and various cultural sites. As a head of state, Voroshilov received 邀，以蘇聯最高蘇維埃主席的身分訪華，先後訪問了北京、上海、杭
the grandest welcome, with Mao’s greeting at the airport and millions of 州以及廣州等城市，參觀當地企業、學校與名勝古蹟，觀賞各地藝文
Beijing residents cheering on the street as he arrived. The visit was widely 活動。伏氏此行受到了最高禮遇的接待，毛澤東親赴機場迎接，百萬
documented in the press (Fig). Hen on Rock is likely a gift presentation 北京市民夾道歡迎，當時《人民日報》、《解放日報》更是連日進行
from China to Voroshilov and offers us a glimpse of the importance and 大篇幅報導。（圖1）此幅《磐石墨雞圖》即應在當時作為國禮贈予
popularity of Pan Tianshou at the time. 伏氏，由此可知，潘天壽之作品在當時廣受各界人士之重視。

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