Macao Daily News
The Macao Museum of Art (MAM) has presented exhibitions of Chinese paintings and calligraphy works from the Ming and Qing dynasties every autumn since 2004, sequentially showcasing works of revered masters or schools. Featured artists have ranged from Bada Shanren, Shitao and Dong Qichang, to the painters of the Ming Loyalists, the Jinling School of Painting and the ‘Four Wangs of the early Qing period’. Cultural organisations from the Chinese mainland warmly support these highly anticipated exhibitions, and the MAM has also presented a series of successful symposia that have gained attention and recognition from scholars and audiences at home and abroad.
Yun Shouping, whose sobriquet was Nantian, founded the ‘Changzhou School of Painting’ and was one of the ‘Six Masters of the early Qing period’. He was also acclaimed as the best among the ‘Six Scholars of Piling’ (now known as Changzhou). Yun possessed fantastic handling of colours, dotting and washes in realistic manner without being bound by forms. With delicate brushwork, his depictions of flowers are clean, refined and refreshing, conveying a natural sense of spirit. He was praised for elevating Chinese flower painting to the next level from the end of the Ming dynasty to the beginning of the Qing dynasty. He also earned fame as the best of his generation in the Qing dynasty. The MAM now presents Yun Shouping: Paintings and Calligraphy from the Palace Museum and the Shanghai Museum, showcasing treasured artworks by Nantian and his fellow artists from the collections of both museums.
Nantian embraced minimalism in his art by stating that simplicity is the highest ideal. When carrying out simplicity in every possible way by eliminating the excessive details as if washing away dust and dirt, what remain are the uniqueness and remoteness of the subject. He further described this idea as akin to a lady whose beauty is recognised by her modesty and elegance rather than by the makeup she wears. The artist advocated metaphorical expression in landscape painting, such as ‘capturing the vitality of spring, the blaze of summer, the splendor of autumn and the serenity of winter’.
He explained: ‘Landscapes in four seasons show us their beauty, but only humans can elaborate on their charm. For example, autumn often saddens people and inspires contemplation. To express the imagery, a painter must understand such melancholy and nostalgia when depicting autumn scenery. Otherwise, it would be better to simply listen to the chirping of winter cicadas or crickets.’
In addition to painting, Yun excelled at calligraphy, and his poetry was graceful and unique. He wrote a poem on unrecognised talent: ‘To whom do you show your talent? I showed mine by playing hu qin [a stringed musical instrument] in a teahouse. When I played songs about heroes felled by fate, I sang Ba Ting Qiu [referring to a play about a scholar who failed the imperial examination and lamented his fate was like the warlord Xiang Yu] in front of my guests.’ Yun Shouping did not attend the imperial examination and was indifferent to fame and fortune. Instead of serving the rich or those in power, he earned a living by selling paintings. He possessed the literati’s virtues, and as a result, he made his mark on history.
This exhibition allows the audience to encounter paintings and calligraphy works by Yun Shouping, his family members and fellow artists – and it is undoubtedly a blessing for those in Macao to admire the Palace Museum and the Shanghai Museum collections. The Macao Daily News is delighted to be the supporting organisation of this exhibition, and we wish the show great success.
Lok Po
Director of Macao Daily News