Zhao Mengfu’s ancient wood, bamboo and stone picture axis

[Zhao Mengfu’s Ancient Wood, Bamboo and Stone Painting Axis]

The Ancient Wood, Bamboo and Stone Painting Axis, made by Zhao Mengfu in the Yuan Dynasty, is a silk version with ink brush, 108.2 cm in length and 48.8 cm in width
This page is signed with the words “Pine Snow”. Seal “Zhao Ziang” and “Song Xuezhai”
The paintings of dead wood, bamboo and stone are the subjects of literati’s good paintings in the past dynasties. They began in the Tang Dynasty, and developed greatly in the Northern Song Dynasty and Su Shi. There were writers in the Southern Song Dynasty, Jin and Yuan Dynasties, and Zhao Mengfu emphasized them, which formed a fashion for the time, and prevailed in the Yuan Dynasty
Zhao Mengfu painted dead wood, bamboo and stone. On the basis of inheriting Wen and Su, he integrated the brush of calligraphy into painting. He advocated that “calligraphy and painting have the same origin”, that is to say, painting with calligraphy. His famous poem in ancient and modern painting circles, “stone is like flying white wood, such as Zhou, and writing bamboo is also like Bafa Tong.” It has a great impact on later painting circles. This picture reflects this theory. Using the “flying white” of calligraphy to write stones and dead tree trunks, the composition is simple, and the strokes are vigorous and free, Penetrate strength. The smooth style of bamboo, with the word “ge” or “jie”, is both powerful and implicit, rich in ink taste, reflecting the elegant charm of literati painters
Judging from the style of the drawing and the style of painting, it should be the work of Zhao Mengfu in his later years
Description of Shiqu Treasure Collection – Three Editions of the Qing Dynasty.