Page 87 - Christies March 15 2017 Fujita Museum

LI GONGLIN
AS CATALOGUED IN

SHIQU BAOJI

TREAT Y OF BIANQIAO

Li Gonglin’s painting skills were so facile as to be comparable to those of a professional painter,
despite that he was highly educated and an oficial in Emperor Shenzong’s (r. 1067-1085)
government. Unlike most scholar-painters, Li often painted fgures, typically rendered in fne detail
and set in complex historical narrative compositions. He was also a master of several artistic styles.
As an important fgure in the development of literati painting, which held personal expression as the
highest goal, Li Gonglin infused his narrative paintings with unique elements that communicated his
own feelings and ideas. This lengthy scroll depicts the surrender of Uyghur fghters to the imperial
army of Tang Taizong (r. 627-649) before he became emperor. Presented against a stark, nearly blank
background that accentuates the activities of the fgures, the scroll opens with a meandering line of
tiny, well detailed cavalry snaking through the plains on horseback. As was common custom among
Chinese artists, the lack of discipline and proper comportment of the foreigners is illustrated by their
chaotic behavior and postures. In marked contrast, the Chinese troops at the end of the scroll are well
controlled and organized, clearly embodying Confucian li.

李公麟為宋代神宗時期（1067-1085）畫家，進士出身，但畫法靈巧，自創一格，作品可與職業畫家媲美。
異於其他文人畫家不同，李氏經常描繪人物，尤其喜好以細緻工筆筆觸去描繪歷史敘事。李氏亦精於眾多
不同藝術風格。文人畫講求表達個人思想為最高目標，身為文人畫發展的其中一位重要人物，李公麟為他
的敘事畫灌輸獨特的元素，傳達自己的感受和想法。此長卷描繪初唐「便橋會盟」故事，突厥戰士向唐太宗
（6 27- 6 49 在 位）軍 隊 求 和 的 場 景。在 幾 乎空白的 背景中，作品由細 膩 工 筆 勾勒出的 騎兵 組 成一 條 蜿 蜒曲
折的軍隊，穿越平原。畫中突厥戰士的雜亂無章顯示出他們缺乏紀律，符合中國藝術家的慣例。畫尾的唐
軍，顯示出良好的控制和組織性，清楚地體現出儒家理學，與外族形成強烈對比。

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