Author: Chang Guang-Bin

Size:Length:244 x Width:110 (cm)

Size description：178×96cm(畫心)244×110cm(含裱)

Introduction：Chang Guang-Bin (1915-2016), a native of Daxian County, Sichuan Province, passed away in Taiwan, known by the courtesy name Hsu Hsien and the pseudonym Yu Huan. He graduated from the three-year National Painting Department of the National Academy of Fine Arts in Chongqing in 1945. At the age of 28, Chang enrolled in the three-year program of the National Academy of Fine Arts in Chongqing and studied under renowned masters such as Fu Pao-Shih, Li Ke-Ran, Feng Tzu-Kai, Huang Chun-Bi and Kao Hung-Chin. His expertise was broad, and he excelled in various script styles, including clerical script, Wei stele script, and running script. In 1969, he began working at the Painting and Calligraphy Department of the National Palace Museum in Taiwan, and retired as a researcher in November 1987. He is the author of A History of Chinese Calligraphy, which meticulously traces the origins and development of Chinese calligraphy, and is also well versed in the art history of the Yuan Dynasty, with works such as The Four Masters of the Yuan Dynasty, Studies in the History of Yuan Dynasty Painting and Calligraphy, and numerous personal calligraphic and painting works.
Through his in-depth study of art history during his tenure at the National Palace Museum and his firsthand exposure to masterpieces, at the age of 83, he created his own “Scattered Ink Point Stipple” technique, using dots instead of strokes. In his later years, he used a cursive writing technique to create monumental works reminiscent of the hanging scrolls of the Northern Song Dynasty. At the age of 91, his “scattered ink line stipple” technique exhibited a subjective abstract style that further influenced the subjectivity of landscape painting. His seal script is profound and rustic, elegant and fluent, embodying a harmonious resonance between personality and calligraphic style, achieving the ideal of “both the person and the calligraphy are aged”. His insights into calligraphic art are widely disseminated, and he promoted the understanding and writing of cursive script by developing the “Mnemonic for Cursive Script” to make the cursive script more accessible, thus contributing greatly to calligraphy education.
At the age of 96, Chang Guang-Bin wrote “Su Dong-Po’s Garden Full of Fragrance.” His brushwork was steady, with ink displaying a refreshing variety of shades, and the interplay between black and white was diverse. The strokes flowed smoothly, with peaks and valleys stretching far and wide between the characters. The layout departed from traditional arrangements, offering a novel approach. The strokes were nimble, the characters’ sizes well-proportioned, and the overall composition innovative. The brushwork was deft, imbuing the characters with liveliness and a brisk rhythm, rendering the scene vibrant and full of vigor. Viewing his work is captivating and leaves one unwilling to depart.

Accession Number:PT10004100

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