Jakabffy Imre szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 13. (Budapest, 1971)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM - MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Kecskés, Lili: Several Works of Four Ch'ing Painters

Mu-lan. the legendary heroine of filial devotion and courage is portrayed who served in the army for ten years in her old sick father's stead without revealing the secret of her sex. Like the other less significant traditional paintings of Chiao Pingcheng, its arrangement, is rallier formal. There is no background. In the middle ground on the garden rock sits Mu-lan in armour. The rock is mossy and porous, done in outline with shades and some washes, contrasts with the details of the figure. ( )n her head is a soldier cap wilh red fringe on ils top. lier blue costume is decorated with red and green patterns and m front an embroidery in pattern of an animal head. The baggy trousers an' covered by a red patterned shawl. She wears black boots. A sword in green scabbard can be seen on her side, lier left hand holds an open book, her right one rests on the knee. The face, got soiled in the course of time, and the hands are drawn in pai miao technique, without any shade. The whole figure is characteristic of accuracy textured with thin lines and colours. It is not devoid of siifines. The motionlessness and lack of expression are offset by rich colours. The painter shows us an interesting figure, on the one hand, a soldier sitting manfully with feet apart and straight posture; on the other hand, a female whose character is betrayed by her gracious hands, small feel and delicate face. In the lower left-hand corner we can read the painter's inscription and seals: "Your Majesty's subject Chiao Ping-cheng respectfully painled ". The seals can be read: '"Ping-cheng" and "Kung-hui" (Respectfully painled). It is nol dated. However there is a postscript by Liang Shih-cheng, an official and man of letters (1697—1763) who had been chancellor of the Hanlin Academy and Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent, participated in the compilation of the two well-known catalogues of paintings and calligraphies ("Shili-oh'ii pao-chi" and "Pi-lien chu-lin"). His inscription is a seven word poem: ' In rough armour and helm made of iron, she can be compared with Duke Ting-yuan of the Man/' Since then men feel ashamed on hearing her name. The fame of Mu-lan will last for thousand years. Your Majesty's subject Liang Shi-cheng respectfully wrote at the beginning of the tenth month in the 19th year of Ch'ien-lung (1754)". It is followed by a seal: ""Chili pan hua kiiaii (Pavilion for collecting precious paintings). 3. (hang Yen. Woman beauties. Three album-paintings. Executed in color on silk. 'The ground silk is injured, but the ligures are inlael. Invenlorv numbers: 63.57—59. 32 X '22 cm. Chang Yen, tzu Yu-hua. Horn in Louhsien. lived in the eighteenth century. Mis father Ch'ao had been also a painter, he himself was skilled in the painting of woman beauties and portraits. Me followed the styles of Chin Ying and Tang ^ in. As an eccentric he would by no means paint if he fell no desire for it. He painted for selling only when he was badly off.' During the Ch'ing dynasty the figurai painting illustrated generally traditional milhological. historical and religious figures, portraits and woman beauties. The painting of woman beauties was always in close touch with the age and the life. In the court it had been ihe favourite theme. Such painters increased in number, and the manner of painting became more delicate. Painters always connected woman beauties with beauties of nature, for instance, flowers. 'They paid as much attention to their dresses as lo their faces or hairdresses. Many of the painters found more pleasure '' Duke Ting-yiian's name is Pan Ch'ao. f) I'

eng Chin-po: Mo-hsiang-ehii hua-shih. 1788. — Chiang Pan-ling: Mo-lin chin-hua. 1852. (i Jenyns. S.: A Background to Chinese Painting. London, 1937. pp. 149—151.