Calligraphy

Length:90.4 x Width:179.5 (cm)

Lu Fo-Ting (1911-2005, Henan, China) had the given name Fu-Ting and was also known by the sobriquets Ban-Seng and Yu-Weng. Introduced to classical literature and poetry by his father at an early age, he entered the Peiping Beihua School of Fine Arts in 1931, where he studied both Western painting and traditional Chinese ink painting, drawing inspiration from copying masterpieces of past dynasties. After graduation, he traveled extensively to observe landscapes firsthand, taking nature as his teacher and broadening his creative vision. After relocating to Taiwan in 1948, Lu taught at institutions including Taitung Normal School (now National Taitung University), Taichung Normal School (now National Taichung University of Education), Chinese Culture University, National Taiwan Normal University, and the National Taiwan Academy of Arts (now National Taiwan University of Arts). He co-founded the Central Taiwan Fine Arts Association, the Chinese Painting Society, and the Chinese Calligraphy Society, dedicating himself to the promotion of painting and calligraphy. His honors include the First Sun Yat-sen Literary and Art Award in the traditional Chinese painting category, the 14th Cultural Construction Special Contribution Award from the Literature and Arts Foundation, and the 13th Executive Yuan Cultural Award.
Celebrated for his ink paintings, Lu also achieved great distinction in calligraphy. Proficient in all five major script types, his style is characterized by an unadorned elegance, steadiness, and strength, reflecting the composure of his Buddhist practice. Most notably, his unique “Lu style” blends the structure of regular script with the brush methods of clerical script, setting his work apart in the calligraphy and painting world. Song of the Peaceful Retreat exemplifies this style, its characters executed with vigorous, fluid strokes that convey a sense of harmony and simplicity. The text reproduces the poem of the same name by the Song dynasty scholar Shao Yong. At the end of the inscription, Lu writes, “Copied Shao Kang-Jie’s Song of the Peaceful Retreat. Lu Fo-Ting,” accompanied by two seals reading “Lu Fo-Ting Yin” and “Ban-Seng.”

Accession number:20170300005