Page 38 - 2020 November 30 Bonhams Rev. Richard Fabian Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy Hong Kong

WU XIZAI (1799-1870)
Original name Tingyang, courtesy name Xizai and later Rangzhi,
sobriquets Rangweng, Wanxue jushi, and Fangzhu zhangren. Wu
was a native of Yizheng (now Yangzhou), Jiangsu Province. Wu
learned calligraphy under Bao Shichen (1775-1855) and was also
heavily inspired by Deng Shiru (1743-1805). He was distinguished for
his seal and clerical scripts and his paintings also present prominent
epigraphic aesthetics.

Seal carving was his biggest achievement and was praised by Wu
Changshuo as follows, “Rangweng’s seal carving followed Wanbai
(Deng Shiru), but he had also much knowledge on the seals from
Qin and Han periods. Therefore, his carving was so smooth and
fluent, bold and vigorous instead of being delicate and light. I used to
tell people: one should take Rangweng’s methods besides learning
from Wanbai when it comes to seal carving.” Wu carved more than
ten thousand seals in his life, and was regarded to have a significant
impact towards seal carvers of his time and many generations
followed.
吳熙載（1799-1870）
原名廷颺，字熙載，後以字行，改字讓之，亦作攘之，號讓翁、晚
學居士、方竹丈人等。江蘇儀征（今揚州）人。清諸生。中年時寓
揚州，董玉書《蕪城懷舊錄》曾載其居石牌樓觀音庵，與畫家王素
有「非王畫吳書不足相配」之譽。咸豐三年（1853），為避戰火而
流寓泰州，相繼客於姚正鏞、岑鎔、陳守吾等殷商名流之家，與當
地文士墨客雅集唱和，作書治印。

吳氏書法師包世臣(1775-1855)，乃鄧石如(1743-1805)一脈，篆隸
功力尤深。亦精篆刻，晚年運刀更臻化境。吳昌碩評曰：「讓翁平
生固服膺完白，而於秦漢印璽探討極深，故刀法圓轉，無纖曼之
氣，氣象駿邁，質而不滯。余嘗語人：學完白不若取徑於讓翁。」
一生刻印數以萬計，聲名顯卓，對黃士陵、趙之謙、徐三庚、吳昌
碩等影響甚鉅。存世有《吳讓之印譜》、《晉銅鼓齋印存》、《師
慎軒印譜》、《通鑒地理今釋稿》。

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