Apr 11, 2023 © Ulrich Theobald
Jiezhou xuehua bian 芥舟學畫編 "Learning to paint from the Mustard Boat [Studio]" is a book on the theory of painting written during the high Qing period 清 (1644-1911) by Shen Zongqian 沈宗騫 (fl. 1781), courtesy name Xiyuan 熙遠, style Jiezhou 芥舟, from Wuxing 吳興 (modern Huzhou 湖州, Zhejiang). His own paintings were inspired by the ancient masters Wang Xizhi 王羲之 (303-361) and Wang Xianzhi 王獻之 (344-386) and displayed their strength in landscape paintings and images of persons.
The book of 4 juan length was finished in 1781. The first half discusses in 16 chapters the art of landscape painting, beginning with a historical treatise on the "lineages" of painters, but then going over to practical issues like the use of the brush, the ink, composition, the expression of spirit and rhythm, and so on. The discussion follows a clear and methodical line, but Shen only talks about mastery in the imitation of ancient masters, and dedicates no thought to individual creativity. His book thus represents a kind of "orthodox" thought. Fascicle 3 focuses on the "transmission of spirit" (Chuanshen 傳神) and gives many examples how "spirit" might be given shape by brush, ink, colour, and skilled shapes of brush movements. The last part, including 3 chapters, gives miscellaneous information on portraits, the use of silk and paper, the application of colours, and thus talks of traditional experience in figure painting and the selection and application of tools and materials.
The book is included in the series Hualun congkan 畫論叢刊 and Zhongguo hualun leibian 中國畫論類編.
Sources:
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Guo Wei 郭偉 (2019). "Jiezhou xuehua bian de huaxue shi jiazhi 《芥舟學畫編》的畫學史價值", Zhongguo shuhua 中國書畫, 2019 (8): 18-23.
Huang Peijie 黃培傑 (2003). "Gexing yu gongbi renwu hua xingxiang shendu xinbian: Qingdai Shen Zongqian Jiezhou xuehua bian zai du you gan 個性與工筆人物畫形象深度析辨——清代沈宗騫《芥舟學畫編》再讀有感", Guo huajia 國畫家, 2003 (3): 66-67.
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Wu Xiaodan 吳曉丹 (2020). "Cong Jiezhou xuehua bian kan qi yasuguan dui xiandai huihua fazhan de qishi yiyi ji qi ya de shenmei neihan 從《芥舟學畫編》看其“雅俗觀”對現代繪畫發展的啟示意義及其“雅”的審美內涵", Yishu pingjian 藝術評鑒, 2020 (11): 155-158.
Xing Zhishan 邢志善 (1987). "Jiezhou xuehua bian 芥舟學畫編", in Wang Xiangfeng 王向峰, ed. Wenyi meixue cidian 文藝美學辭典 (Shenyang: Liaoning daxue chubanshe), 687.
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Zhao Lizhong 趙力忠 (1993). "Jiezhou xuehua bian 芥舟學畫編", in Ru Xin 汝信, ed. Shijie baike zhuzuo cidian 世界百科著作辭典 (Beijing: Zhongguo gongren chubanshe), 359.
