Page 88 - 2020 November 30 Bonhams Rev. Richard Fabian Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy Hong Kong

PU HUA (1832-1911)
Using the courtesy names Zuoying, Zhuying, and Zhuyun, sobriquets
Xushan Yeshi and Zhongzhu Daoren, and studio names Jinqin Shiyan
Zhai, and Furong’an, he was a native of Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province. At
an early age, he entered himself for the imperial examinations but only
passed at the county level as xiucai. As a result, he ceased the pursuit
of an official career and devoted himself to poetry, calligraphy and
painting. He had a wild and creative soul, at the age of 30, following
his wife’s passing, he started travelling with his brushes and inkstones
around Ningbo, Hangzhou and Shanghai, where he had neither a per-
manent residence nor job. He also travelled to Japan, where his works
were admired. At 60, he finally settled in Shanghai and continued his
career as a painter and calligrapher. Pu Hua, together with Ren Bo-
nian, Wu Changshuo and Xu Gu, were known as the “Four Outstand-
ing Painters of the Shanghai School”. Among the four, he was closest
to Wu Changshuo as they both had similar advocates and interests.
Pu Hua’s flowers were of the style of Xu Wei and Chen Chun, as well
as Zheng Banqiao and Li Futang. He was especially fascinated with
bamboo, and his outstanding pieces earned him the reputation of
“Pu’s Bamboo”. His calligraphy was vivacious, clumsy yet elegant; and
his style of painting was vigorous, unconstrained, original and creative.
His publications include Literary Collection of Furong’an.

蒲華（1832-1911）
字作英，亦作竹英、竹雲，號胥山野史、種竹道人，齋名九琴十硯
齋、芙蓉盫等。浙江嘉興人。早歲參加科舉，僅中秀才，遂絕念仕
途，潛心詩詞書畫。個性磊落不羈，而立之年髮妻病逝，蒲華遂攜筆
硯出遊，往來寧波、杭州、上海一帶，居無定所，遊食四方。亦曾赴
東瀛，頗得日人賞識。六十歲後始定居於滬上，繼續筆硯生涯。與任
伯年、吳昌碩、虛谷合稱「海派四傑」。與缶翁為至交，二人主張與
意趣相近，常相唱和。蒲氏花卉宗青藤、白陽，兼入板橋、復堂門
庭，尤醉心於畫竹，有「蒲竹」之譽。其書法樸拙生趣，逸筆草草而
格調高古。畫風雄健恣縱，天馬行空，獨辟蹊徑。有詩稿《芙蓉庵燹
餘草》傳世。

Xu Zhen, “Portrait of Pu Hua at 50” (detail)
Collection of Jiaxing Museum, Zhejiang
許瑧〈蒲華五十壽像〉（局部） 浙江嘉興博物館藏
84 | BONHAMS