Page 60 - Important Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, Hong Kong
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Zhou Hao (c. 1685 – 1773) was one of the most accomplished bamboo sketches or drafts on bamboo, preferring to work freehand directly on
carvers of the Qing period, whose unique style of rigorous knife cuts the surface, using the knife just like a brush. This interchange between
transposes the spirit of landscape brush paintings onto the bamboo carving and painting makes him one of the most unique artists working
surface. He was also a well-known painter, especially for his landscapes in bamboo, and his carving style is closest to the literati painting
inspired by Wang Meng, who favoured layered and dense brush tradition. Although undated, the current brush pot is closely related
strokes. A painting by Zhou Hao titled ‘Carrying a qin to visit a friend’ stylistically to the example dated to 1744 in the Shanghai Museum
in the collection of the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Highlights Collection, illustrated in ibid, p. 51, no. 6 (fig. 2), and probably from the
in Zhou Hao’s Art, Shanghai, 2016, p. 71, no. 13 (fig. 1), is a very good same period. Compare also a very late example by Zhou Hao, carved in
example of his painting style. The current brush pot is carved with the 1771, now in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Jiangxin
same subject, and his use of ‘short hemp-fibre strokes’ on paintings yu Xiangong, Taipei, 2009, pp. 67-72, no. 13.
corresponds closely to the short texture cuts seen on the current brush
pot. It is interesting to note that the inscription on the current brush pot 周顥是有清一代藝術成就最高的竹刻家之一，其刀法俐落靈動，深淺有
translates: ‘When painting, if one’s mind can forget about his hand and 致，將水墨山水畫之精、氣、神轉移到竹面上，無怪金元鈺在他的《竹
vice versa, then his brush stokes will be harmonious and transcendent, 人錄》中說他「以畫法刻竹」，更讚他的竹雕成就是「二百餘年，首屈
surpassing the mundane’. Zhou did not consider bamboo carving 一指」。他的畫作也享有盛名，其山水師法宋、元，尤好王蒙一路層巒
different from painting, and the inscriptions on his bamboo pieces often 疊嶂、細筆繁皴的山水畫。上海博物館藏他一件題名《攜琴訪友》的作
refers to ‘paintings’ and ‘brush strokes’. He did not use preparatory
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