Page 58 - Christie's FIne Chinese Paintings HK May 26 27 2021
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Preach with a Brush:
A Brief Introduction to Ming and Qing
Religious Paintings and Calligraphy
⓹ཝ㑆䣀ᒝ᪹ᐓᕊηި▒㏽
Of Chinese origin, Taoism advocates living simply and in harmony with nature. Together with Buddhism and
Confucianism, they relied heavily on paintings and scriptures for preaching its devotees. By the Ming and Qing
dynasties, these three doctrines were regarded as mutually complementary. Taoist paintings of the period were
characterized in the rendition of deities, like Warrior God of Heaven (Lot 858). Amidst swirling clouds of rainbow
colours, this finely-dressed young warrior with a halo is holding a three-pointed spear in his right hand, followed
by his servants equipped with a bow and a flying banner respectively. Compare to a very similar composition of the
same title, now in the Capital Museum in Beijing (Fig. 1).
From the Buddhist perspective, paintings and calligraphy belong to Silpakarma-vidya, one of the five types of knowledge
and wisdom. Over time monks and laymen painted and practised calligraphy and Buddhist-themed works became more
sophisticated during the Song and Yuan dynasties.
This season Christie’s Hong Kong is offering five Buddhist works of the Ming and Qing period. First is a late work by
Monk Jifei, Sutra (Lot 862). Manuscripts by monks have always been very popular amongst collectors and Sutra exemplifies
the beauty and charm of calligraphy of the Ming period. Besides, Seven-character Poem in Running Script by Bada Shanren
(Lot 863) demonstrates moist and vigorous brushstrokes that is unique amongst his contemporaries. In addition, the
album of Guanyin, Luohans and Sutra by Wen Zhaozhi (Lot 859) is a gem. Meticulously rendered in golden ink on blue
paper typically used in Buddhist art, the doctrines are vividly presented. Further, The Great Cundi Bodhisattva (Lot 860)
is a work of Tibetan Buddhism origin. The Mother of Buddha found at the centre of the painting saves and purifies all
living creatures. Lastly Jin Nong’s Buddha (Lot 861) is characterised by the simple brushstrokes and refreshing colours and
complemented with calligraphy by the artist.
㙣ᘰἃទகࣥ⊂ᘰ卿ս㱐⊂ـ㙣ἃ㇝卿⩧ᐇ⣌Ǯ⥾⊺ᛓᔆᘰ⨒Ӷ⬒Ꮅ⦷⎏㞒㇝Ꮫᬀǯ⎉ཿ⯍ᚺ᳖卿Ӳᘰ㘻
う卿㙣ᘰ⥾⊺ս▵մ⏻༏ἃԖǯൈক┣ⴃㇼℳ㊦ᇵᘾ㙁Ƕ⏍㧰᳖ᴹ൘㙣
⏻ाǷ卻ᐽ⤔⽚ 卼卿ᆭ㫡➜ᖸ卿ᚆᚐ㰮࡚卿ᯧވ⠢ᇤ卿・㰥㙐卿
՞⁒߿ᇌᛇ㇏卿⡿⮏ᓼ⥾߅Հ㚿⏻ा㰥ᳺ߅ಋ⎏ᯧ۬卿⯝࢈㲛㛢ࢷ
⁒㱦⻦᳖ߝǶ⏍㧰᳖ᴹ൘㙣⏻ाǷ卻எ 卼㬳⏟ַǯ
דᘰ⯇ែᶴថჺ۔ݣս卿Ӷᙷ㉹うݣԋஇᙔࢇ卿ཝݯஙᝧᯧক⥾⊺
ᙹ㬷ヿ→♥ᥑ卿⊇ᅺדᯧǯᝧᯧক⥾⊺ྏדᘰğՆᚺ卵ԠӬ⎏ğ႙ႛ
ᚺ卵卿ջۿ՞কഅᝳـ⨶ǯջսᇌדᘰᎰᶴࢇ⎏ទகᘰ卿
݉ᛞឆדᘰ㯪ឬᝧ⊺⎏ヿ→ᝤἃᎰᾳǯ
ᛓ᪖דᘰᝳՆზᚺ᳖ᛞឆהǯᝧᯧᝳᚺថ᳖ߝ㿩ᨲۿ՞࣊㬳ൈӬ
ᛮჺᏒᝧǶ༾♥⣌Ƿ卻ᐽ⤔⽚ 卼卿⊇✖නጔ⃫ᛓᚺ՞㰍
㮫卿ۿ՞Ꮫᐇד⣌卿शἃӽ՞Ⅷᘂǯऔᝳݨഌྒྷ՞ リᝧ⯇ה
Ӯ㈲⢞㉼Ӭ㲛卻ᐽ⤔⽚ 卼卿ԋ㡭⣱࣡卿㙢ࡎ᳖㙐卿ᯧᝧ㘓߅ᛞ՞ǯ
⥾⊺ᙹ㬷卿ᝳᚺջᙔ⪻▢ ㈊㮥⧲ᶴ厂Ƕ⸥ⵖ⣌ǷݺՀࢦ㧷
卻ᐽ⤔⽚ 卼卿ս㞖༵ᙻדᘰጪ⊇⎏┵㬪⡮ӳ卿㈊㮥⧲ᶴᯧ⏟▼
ⴃ୍卿Ƕ⸥ⵖ⣌Ƿ᳖ᶕ卿᳅ݰᅺᔆדᯧԠ᚜ǯ᫉ം卿ഌᴽᓽⵐ⻉۬
卻ᐽ⤔⽚ 卼ྏ⻦۔דᘰ⥾⊺⡑⢴卿ӳᝳ՞卿Ӵἃ䂆ℳ卿ⵐ⻉
⛘ᄠԋ㧿ᘩᄟӽ՞ǯऔᝳ㞖㗬⥾Ὅፄ៣ד۬卻ᐽ⤔⽚ 卼卿⊇✖➯ᚿ
㵶ऒ卿㉑ⰰ᳖㙐卿㜩սސᇵݎ⊂ᶜᝧ卿ཝ㰆ⴃᘾǯ
Fig. 1 ९
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