Red Plum Blossoms
3 min readPainter: Wu Changshuo
Painting Year: the Qing Dynasty
Material: silk scroll
Dimension: vertical length of 135 centimeters and horizontal length of 65.5 centimeters Collection Place: Suzhou Museum
Red Plum is a painting of fower and bird in freehand style, which was created by Wu Changshuo from the late Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China. In lower part of this painting, from close view, several red plum blossoms stretch fron right to left to intertwine at orderly layers; there are two stones from middle view; and several vertical red plum blossoms are behind stones.
With brushwork of seal script, this painting is bold and rigorous. Dark, light, dry and wet ink presents many changes, which looks straightforward. Flower head is spotted in brilliant red, which is integrated into bold ink and looks fresh and antique. Longitudinal inscription adds the charm of vertical structure of this painting. Calligraphy and painting add luster each other, and reinforces the intensity of this masterpiece.
Art Master
Wu Changshuo(1844-1927)
Wu Changshuo was a calligrapher and painter from the late Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China. As a native of Anji, Zhejiang, he was good at calligraphy and seal cutting. He started painting since middle ageand succeeded in old age. He originated brand-new fashion for painting of fower and bird in freehand style, with far-reaching infuence.
This group of red plum blossoms is behind stones. Compared with plum branches and blossoms from close view, they are in light color but still show rigorous and orderly style and vivid posture. From different views, these plum blossoms cast beautiful refections and contrast fnely with each other.
With brushwork of seal script, branches of plum blossoms are bold and solid. Plum branches freely intertwine, which are painted with light and think ink colors. Plum blossoms, painted in dark red, are brilliant and elegant. Flower heads turn forwards and backwards, and they are natural, ever-changing and charming with either light or heavy shades.
Anecdote
Wu Changshuo and Ren Bonian
Introduced by a friend.30-year-old Wu Changshuo wanted to learn painting under the tutelage of Ren Bonian. Ren Bonian ordered Wu Changshuo to draw something. Wu Changshuo said:”How can I paint without any painting foundation?”Ren Bonian told him to paint with some strokes. Wu Changshuo did so, and Ren Bonian praised:”You are bound to make more achievements than me.”Wu Changshuo believed that Ren Bonian played a joke, but Ren Bonian seriously commented:”Your brushwork outdoes mine.”As Wu Changshuo boasted profound calligraphy attainments(important factor for painting in freehand style), Ren Bonian had an insight into Wu Changshuo’s potential.
Since then, Wu Changshuo learned painting under the tutelage of Ren Bonian. In old age, he really emerged as a naster in nodern Chinese painting history.
Portrait for wu Chang shuo（painter:Ren Bonian）entitled Portrait for Shabby offcial Do YouKnow？
Shanghai-style Painting School
In the late 19th century，Zhao Zhiqian，Xu Gu，Pu Hua，Ren Xiong，Ren Xun，Ren Bonian，Wu Changshuo and other painters across the country converged in Shanghai.They set foot on national traditions，borrowed ideas from incoming arts，cherished folk arts and created many artworks keeping abreast of the times.As Shanghai was also known as”Haishang”in Chinese language，they were respected as members of”Haishang Painting School”.
-Several red plum blossoms rise from two towering stones，with light flower Plum branches freely intertwine，ink colors.Flower heads turn forwards and backwards，and they are always charming with either light or heavy shades.
Several red plum blossoms stretch from right to left，which are in dark red.
GeneralKnowledge Painting of Four Gentlemen
Painting of Four Gentlemen refers to the traditional Chinese painting themed with plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum. Plum blossom resist to cold winter, orchid is dignifed and fragrant, bamboo has robust section and hollow interior, and chrysanthemum is courtlike and secluded. Their characters accord with Chinese scholars’ lofty mortality. They are highly hailed by Chinese scholars as”Four Gentlemen.”
