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

in her left one a green porcelain howl with small plums. Resides ihe painter paid great attention to the drawing of her dress. Every line lias been used to indicate and supple figure and the fine, thin character of the textile, halber her lace or her carriage transmits, with the help of the How of lines, something of the emotional as well as the physical movements. The inscription reads as follows: Mow wonderful those blossoming flowers are! The young beauty enjoys alone with harmony in her heart. She laughs al ihem just blooming In March of spring, when in the fields girls in red dresses are walking in groups. Tan-chuang." The seals are "Chang" and "Yen". \. Chang Hsiung, blowers and trees of the four seasons, hour hanging scrolls in color. Executed all on yellowish papers bordered by printed flower-patterns. The four paintings may be considered as a unified composition for they show the flowers and 1

1 ces of four seasons. A I. the same time each section may be seen as a separate piece of scenery with its own character. Inventory numbers: L. 07.10.1—4. 129 X '11 cm. Chang Hsiung. l/.u Tzu-hsiang, hao Yüan-hu wai-shih. and other names. Me was born in ISO.'i, died in 18S0. a native of I Isiushui (Chekiang). As a bird-and-flower painter he followed Chou Chih-mien (1580—1010) and Wang Wu (10:12-1090). Me also painted landscapes and figures. The great pari of bis life was spent in Shanghai. He had stayed at the famous book-collector and patron of ail. Chiang Kuang-hsü in llaining. Some publications of him are listed in i ii Chien-hua's work': "Collected poems of the Silvery Tendrils' Pavilion", "A collection of calligraphies". "Prints of Chang Tzu-hsiang's paintings'' and "Album of Chang Tzii-hsiang's paintings", etc. In the first painting [fig. 6) are two large branches of magnolias, the symbol of spring, filling almost the whole space. One of them stretches vigorously upwards with some boughs spreading widely at ils end. Counterbalancing il grows up a shorter one together with a plum branch drooping downwards. Both are textured with small black dots painled darker than the stalks. The flower-petals are drawn with thin greyish strokes. A bee is visible among the flowers painted vividly. On the upper right portion is a poetic inscription by the painter himself: "They are in full radiance, in white and red. Spring in South is passing in March. Aller cakes are made of magnolias, wine of plums, spring is going lo lake lease. Painled by Tzu-hsiang. Chang Hsiung in ihe style id' Wang Wang-an . It is followed by the painters seal: Tzu-hsiang shii-hua' . The second painting {fig. 7) gives a composition of an early summer atmosphere. A willow branch droops downwards with a cicada ou il. Ihe molionlessness of ihe insect and the leaves represent the lazy heal of summer. The willow leaves are done with two shades of green, the stalk is painled in greyish pale ink. All display the simpleness of the upper part of the painting. On the other hand in the middle ground a wistaria branch is drawn in detail stretching out from a rock with blossoming bluish purple flowers. A number of small boughs fork from the parent one. with one of them hanging downwards. The radiant little flowers in pale wet colors and the veins of ihe leaves outlined exactly show the style of Wang Wu. Ihe lower ground is formed by a rock with pink blossoming branches growing on ils side. The inscription on the right may be rendered as follows: "Living high (on tree) it gets first the dew. But it chirrs loudly lor the wind. Tzu-hsiang Hsiung". Il is followed by bis seal: "Chang I [siting ssii yin". The third painting (fig. 8) illustrates a large rock with flowers. We can sie dry brushwork over wet strokes done in a sketch. Black dots and strokes indicate its ' Yii Chien-hua: (lining kuo hui hua sliili. Shanghai, 1954. Vol. II. p. 290.