Page 102 - Bonhams Chinese Art March 2016 New York

ON THE APPRECIATION 怪石之赏
OF FANTASTIC ROCKS

The collecting and connoisseurship of extraordinary shaped rocks 在中国审 美文化里，收藏和鉴赏 奇峰异石的历 史由来 已久。在过 去的几百年，
has a long and compelling history in Chinese aesthetic culture. 无论 是皇帝还 是文人精英，都喜欢将形状不寻 常的石头置于室外庭院或室内 案
Throughout the centuries both emperors and the scholar-elite have 几，观之赏 之。而在观 看把玩之时 ，人们 常常会用类似评 价书 法的方法，来赏 析石
considered the rocks’ unusual forms worthy of contemplation in both 头各式丰富的形状 和姿态 ——它们 或似高山，或似蟠龙。由于其本身所具
an exterior garden setting as well as inside the home. Enjoyed for their 有的抽象性，以及由此激发人们 的想象力，怪石因此而受到赞誉 。
dynamic shapes that could be judged with similar criteria used for
calligraphy—traditionally the highest art form in China-- or appreciated 自汉代起（公元前206-220），古代中国人会通过 精心移动和布置巨
for their resemblance to lofty mountains or coiled dragons, fantastic 石，使之成为 风景的焦点。到宋代时 （906-1279），体积较 小的怪石常被
rocks (guaishi) were prized for their abstract qualities as well as their 置于文人书 斋的案头或墙内 。宋人杜绾 于12世纪 上半叶撰写 了《云林石谱 》一
inspiration for imagination. 书。书中专 门介绍 了114种适合观赏 的石头。而在随后的一千年时 间里，关 于研究
和鉴赏 各类奇石的著作大量涌现 。这 些著作大多使用富有诗 意的语 言来评议 石头的
Starting in the Han dynasty (206 bce -220ce) monoliths were moved 形状、质 感和材料。
and carefully arranged to become the focus of the landscape. By
the Song dynasty (906-1279) smaller pieces were placed on table 当怪石成为 一种自然艺术 之时 ，它也变成了艺术 家们创 作的灵感来 源。怪石不仅 激
tops and within the walls of the scholars’ studio. In the first half of 发艺术 家表现其独 特的形态 ，也促其发掘更深层 次的含义。在宋徽宗统治时 期
the 12th century Du Wan wrote Yunlin Shipu (Stone Catalogue of the （1110-1125/26），徽宗于1117年绘 制了“祥龙石图 卷”，以期此画为 他统
Cloud Forest) , the first to be dedicated solely to the 114 different 治的幸运征兆。 又如，宋代诗 人米芾 （1051-1107）向一块圣石鞠躬
types of rocks suitable for viewing. In the following millennium a 的画面亦成为 之后几百年历 代画家所喜欢的创 作主题 。而明代画家吴彬 （大约
comprehensive body of Chinese literature arose devoted to the study 1583-1626）曾创作过 十幅描写 同一怪石的作品，之后这 些作品都为 其朋友米
and connoisseurship of these interestingly shaped stones, with poetic 万钟（1570-1628之后）所藏。
language describing the criteria for evaluating their shapes, textures
and different materials. 进入近代，收藏、鉴赏 怪石，和怪石作为 艺术 家创 作源泉的传统继续 随之演变。 20
世纪，传 统艺术 大师张 大千、王己千不仅 收藏怪石， 也常以怪石作为他们的创作题
In as much as fantastic rocks were embraced as natural works of art, 材。而在21世纪 ，艺术 家刘 丹（1953- ）、 曾小俊（1954- ） 等也继续延续
they also became the inspiration for artists to convey their captivating 此创作传 统。另外， 赏石的传 统在近代已不仅仅 局限于中国文化，西方的亨
forms and deeper meanings. The Song emperor Huizong (reigned 利·摩尔（1898-1986）就是一位知名的奇石收藏家，罗 伊·利希滕斯坦
1100-1125/26) depicted “Auspicious dragon rock” in 1117 as a （1923-1997） 也曾用他熟悉的风格创作过 一系列的“怪石”作品。
positive omen for his rule. The image of the Song poet Mi Fu (1051-
1107) bowing in obeisance to a masterful stone became a favorite
subject of painters throughout the centuries, and the Ming artist Wu
Bin (c. 1583-c. 1626) painted ten views of a single fantastic stone
owned by his friend Mi Wanzhong (1570-after 1628).

In modern times the collecting, connoisseurship, and inspiration
of fantastic Chinese stones continues to evolve. With 20th century
classical masters such as Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) and CC Wang
(1907-2003) not only collecting but depicting rocks, and Liu Dan
(born 1953) and Zeng Xiaojun (born 1954) carrying the tradition into
the 21st century. Nor has this lithophilia stayed limited to Chinese
culture, as Henry Moore (1898-1986) was a known collector and Roy
Lichtenstein (1923-1997) created his own series of ‘fantastic rocks’ in
his own familiar style.

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