A bronze mirror is not a mirror made of bronze, but an alloy of copper, tin and lead. The mirror is coated with reflective material, so the light can tell people the wisdom of our ancestors. From Zhou Han to Sui and Tang Dynasties, the collection of bronze mirrors was expensive. After the Song Dynasty, both the texture and craftsmanship were inferior to those before. Going to the museum to observe, calligraphy, painting, porcelain and inkstone all look at people from the front, except bronze mirrors. Tell a joke, even if the mirror is as bright as new, you will see yourself when you look at each other. In ancient times, mirrors were necessary and practical equipment for people with status. Therefore, it is natural for powerful people to cast characters and decorate pictures on their backs to show good luck. Later collectors were attracted and intoxicated by the exquisite art on the back, not by the truth. But for collectors, besides the particularity of patterns, techniques and characters, we should also pay attention to the size and appearance. In addition, we should also pay attention to the accuracy of mold turnover.
Wu Zhu of the Three Kingdoms made a pattern in my hand to seek the heart of a god beast, which is quite unique. In addition, the words "Phoenix Emperor (Phoenix) for three years (May 274)" were cast in reverse, and the title was precious in the mirror. I remember 1993 I bought it at a stall on Wang Yue Road in Hangzhou, and the price was 700 yuan. Don't count on it at that price.
Xie painted Chinese paintings for the author.
Teacher Liu Xiegong is an outstanding modern art historian, scholar, poet, appraiser, painter and calligrapher. Nowadays, few people can have this identity at the same time. Indeed, it is not easy to deserve one of them. I have talked with him many times about his research on the "Ink-dropping Method" of Xu Xi in the Five Dynasties. The difficulty is that Xu's paintings have not been passed down from generation to generation, and there are no descendants of this vein. The teacher said from the beginning, "When inking, don't give it a light color." . In Song Xuxuan's words, such as "ink dropping is the case, miscellaneous colors are the auxiliary cases, and traces and colors don't match", he tried to present Xu's ink dropping style by the closest means with his profound understanding and years of research and practice. In fact, Tuogu obviously has a new "Xie Jia sample". Today, thousands of years later, it is difficult and unnecessary for the painting world to reach a consensus on the ink drop method. Therefore, in one of the teacher's poems, there is "Ann in Suzhou, earnestly advised me not to mention the stone", which points out that Mr. Wang has different meanings with him, but also ponders Xie Gong's confidence.
1975 I was lucky to get a good piece of paper, so I asked the teacher to make this painting by dropping ink, which embodies hidden ink and shows a high style, which is different from Zhang's splashing ink and splashing color. When signing, the teacher wrote Ding Mao, and I reminded him that it was Yi Mao, so I changed it. If Ding Mao is 1927 and the teacher is eighteen, future generations will suspect that it is a fake, so be it.
White jade furnace with clear ears and movable ring
Jade culture should be a unique traditional culture of the Chinese nation. It can be traced back at least two or three hundred years before Oracle Bone Inscriptions appeared. It does have a long history. Due to the limitations of ancient times, ancient jade is mostly made of regional materials, and there are few Xinjiang and jade, especially seed jade. Hetian jade was mined in large quantities and transported to the east. Emperor Qianlong opened the east-west thoroughfare, which paid a huge price politically, militarily and economically. It really goes far beyond the far-reaching significance of his love for jade itself. This is the institution that specially made craft objects for the Forbidden City during the Qianlong period-the jade carving in the production room and the white jade furnace with movable rings in both ears. Hotan seed material, as white as snow, crystal clear, firm and compact, full of workmanship, fine and elegant, powerful and royal. Five years ago, my son Wuji found it in Gupu, Tokyo. It's not expensive, far below the price of the auction house. Therefore, I often say: playing with antiques, knowledge is brass cymbals, and knowledge can ferment small money in a bag into big money, that is, buying valuable good things with small money. Of course, I'm talking about the real "open the door" good thing.
Liu Danzhai presented Chinese paintings to the author.
Mr Liu Danzhai is nine years older than me. We met during the Cultural Revolution. He lived in Ruijin Road at that time, and sometimes visited at night to see and smell the right time. Because of his understanding, he complained without any trouble and released a lot of melancholy.
Although the women written by Brother Danzhai are gentle and lovely, they are too different from his personality. He is honest, full of joys and sorrows, not hiding anything, not shrewd and fearless. He is a rare gentleman who is divorced from the secular society. In the 1990s, he had an argument. He thinks that a leader in the city is biased. I know the inside story and explain it to him truthfully. Soon to celebrate the return of Hong Kong, the college held a pen meeting and the leaders came to the scene. I introduced several great painters to him, and the leader reached out and shook hands with him. He was expressionless and pulled his hand behind his back. A few days later, I went to his house on Anting Road again and said that you really made a mistake. This is not what you think. He has always trusted me and expressed his belief. After the new year, it was the pen meeting of the Academy of Painting, and the leaders came to visit the painters again. I'll report to him first and say I can make it up this time. When the city leader shook hands with him, he smiled and held out his hand. Really, this is my admiration for the lovely brother Liu.
He asked me to engrave the seal of "Zhibaitang" in Chen Wunian. When he sent it to Yin Shi, he gave me this beautiful painting. It's been 30 years in a blink of an eye. Paintings are fresh, people are dead, sad husbands.
As an Indian, it is indispensable to settle down, make some achievements and learn excellent traditions, such as Wei Yinxi in the Zhou, Qin and Han Dynasties and seal cutting in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Just as milk is to babies; Just as food is indispensable to life, it can't be abandoned. Even if you are inspirational, you should introduce the old one first.
Pu Yin Chengqing Pavilion
I have always attached great importance to the collection and reference of ancient prints. Speaking of the story of Chengqing Pavilion seal, this book was written in 16 17, and it was the first collection of famous people printed in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, and it rarely survived. I have read Zhang Lu 'an's library (donated to Xiling Printing Press), and I have read the author's book of Shanghai Museum Department. According to my research, the department name comes first, and the department name is deleted as the second copy. The main reason is that those literati who are sometimes famous like engraving and are ashamed to print their own names. There was an appeal, so Zhang Hao, the editor, had to delete his name, change the format, and then print it into a spectrum.
This rare 400-year-old book actually appeared on 20 16, one of which was unsigned by Guardian auction house and the other was signed by Japan. He ordered his son to bid in Tokyo, Japan, and came back as he wished. After careful comparison, it turns out that the signature version of Japan is actually the female parent (model version) of the Japanese version and the Zhang Lu 'an version, so the characters of the two printed regular script are copied according to the essence of Japanese characters. Therefore, it is particularly precious. Guardian bid more than one million, while Japan bid less than 40,000. God loves my good readers, even lucky.
Qingganlong rhinoceros horn cup
Among the animal horn artifacts, rhinoceros horn is the most precious material. Rhinoceros has two lines: Asian rhinoceros and African rhinoceros. Rhinoceros horn is a rare medicinal material at first. Doctors say that sub-rhinoceros is ten times more effective than non-rhinoceros, so the price is much higher. Now the sub-rhinoceros is basically extinct, and most of the new rhinoceros horn carvings are non-rhinoceros. It is true that new products and old products are clear at a glance, and it is not too difficult to distinguish Asian rhinoceros from non-rhinoceros. There are many fake rhinoceros horn handicrafts on the market now, and the materials and means are also varied. Newcomers have to be careful again and again. This is the rhinoceros horn cup in Qianlong period. The carving is gorgeous, complicated and delicate. Whether it is the wall or the foot, it has been embossed, high embossed, carved, crossed the bridge, etc., and even there is a mantis in the cup ... skilled and full of business atmosphere. Qiu Guang, full of flowers, is a rare product.
This cup was bought 18 years ago with a four-foot colorful lotus flower-and-bird map made by myself. Just produce some local products that some people like.
(The author is honorary president of China Seal Cutting Society, chief consultant of Shanghai Calligraphers Association and president of Wu Changshuo Art Research Association).