Author: Chen Chao-Erh

Size:Length:195 x Width:82 (cm)

Size description：138×69(畫心)

Introduction：Chen Chao-er (1927–2017) was born in Shilin, Taipei. His courtesy name was Tzu-chung. A graduate of Taihoku Commercial School, he developed a broad interest in the arts from an early age, exploring calligraphy, painting, seal carving, sculpture, design, and music, among other disciplines. Quiet and reserved, he was a person of many talents and great modesty, quietly devoted to artistic practice in his time outside of work. During his student years, Chen became interested in seal carving and metalwork—at a time when there was virtually no tradition of seal carving in Taiwan—and arrived at personal insights through self-directed inquiry. In calligraphy, he studied under Liao Chen-hsiang and Liao Tsui-an, learning both the theoretical foundations and the principles of creation, as well as the masterworks of calligraphy through the ages. He practiced all four major scripts—regular, cursive, clerical, and seal—with seal and semi-cursive as his particular strengths. His works received first prize at the National Fine Arts Exhibition and Chung Shan Literature and Arts Award, and the Mayor's Prize at the Taiyang Fine Arts Exhibition, among other honors; they have been exhibited worldwide. He served as juror and deliberating juror for the Provincial Fine Arts Exhibition, National Fine Arts Exhibition, Chung Shan Literature and Arts Award, and Student Fine Arts Exhibition, and was also a supervisor of the Chinese Calligraphy Association, a director and supervisor of the R.O.C. Seal Carving Association, a standing director of the Figure Painting Society, and a member of the Silver-Hair Classical Light Music Ensemble, Hsiangmen Calligraphy Society, Tungning Ink Pool Society, and Riverside Painting Society. His published works include "Yu-te Ode Seal Album," "More Storied Tower Seal Collection," and the seal script volume of the Japan Calligraphy Association's "Correct Transmission of Chinese Calligraphy."

This work is a poem written in large seal script, the first of the five major script forms—seal, clerical, cursive, semi-cursive, and regular. Seal script evolved from oracle bone script, and shares a close resemblance to it. The artist’s writing is in a style in which the pictographic qualities are more pronounced, bringing a sense of vitality within stillness, of artless charm. The brushstrokes turn in smooth, full curves, with rich variation in character form. The overall energy is unified, the structures complex, strokes overlapping, with endless variation—qualities that reward sustained contemplation.

Accession Number:PT10005500

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