Xu Wei’s donkey back recites poems

[Xuwei Donkey Back Poem Map Axis]

Donkey Back Poem Map Axis, Ming Dynasty, Xu Wei’s work, paper, ink, 112.2 cm vertical, 30 cm horizontal
As Xu Wei, who was famous for his freehand brushwork in the flower-and-bird painting world of the Ming Dynasty, his figure paintings are rare. The characters he painted include poets, hermits, Guanyin, and children. Although the strokes are simple, they are vivid and have their own charm
There is no Xu Wei’s own title or seal in the Painting of Poems on the Back of Donkeys. There are only two pieces of identification text on the painting, which are written by Da Chongguang and Zhang Xiaosi, the connoisseurs of calligraphy and painting in the early Qing Dynasty. The upper left is “The Painting of Poems on the Back of Donkeys in Xutian Water and Moon, which is identified by Da in Xin”, and the lower right is “Painting in calligraphy, which is often seen by the ancients. Although this painting is not elegant, it is doubted by Mr. Xu Wenchang’s brushwork. Zhang Xiaosi is lazy.” Since then, this painting has been recognized as Xu’s authentic work
In the picture, the vines among the branches are falling down, and an old man slowly passes by on a donkey under the tree, as if he is chanting a poem, leisurely and elegant. According to Sun Guangxian of the Song Dynasty’s “Northern Dream Trivia” (Volume VII), in the Tang Dynasty, the poet Zheng Xuan was asked whether he had written any new poems recently. Zheng Xuan replied, “Poetry is on the donkey in the snow at Baqiao. How can I get it here. This painting by Xu Wei is one of the best works of this kind of painting that wins by the interest of pen and ink. He often used the method of “subtracting strokes” to draw figures, and the composition was simple, often only the foreground was painted, and the perspective was often crossed by several strokes, sometimes even completely omitted. In the Painting of Poems on the Back of Donkeys, the old man and the donkey are both in shape and spirit with only a few strokes, especially the description of the donkey. The shape of the donkey is not accurate from the perspective of anatomy, but the air of its brisk pace is vividly on the paper. The background branches and vines are scattered, making people feel bleak in autumn. By using the appropriate ellipsis technique, Xu Wei created an empty but not empty artistic space with profound artistic conception. Calligraphy is another feature of The Painting of Poems on the Back of Donkeys. The painting of people, donkeys, trees and vines in the picture has the meaning of true, line, grass and clerical strokes, which makes people feel that there is a vigorous vitality in it. This is exactly what makes Xu Wei’s painting free from vulgarity and dust. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Zhang Dai had a pertinent evaluation of Xu Wei’s calligraphy and painting art creation: “In the past, people called Moji’s poetry, painting in poetry; Moji’s painting, painting in poetry. I also called the book of ivy, painting in book; ivy’s painting, painting in book.”