But if the clothes do not fit and match, it will be counterproductive. Therefore, the mounting of paintings and calligraphy is a very professional craft. It is not as simple as mending shoes and clothes. It has developed into a traditional industry.
A good framer can not only frame the paintings well, but also make the faded paintings shine. "Decoration Chronicles" said: "The quality of decoration depends on the survival of the real name." The decorator is the master of calligraphy and painting." (The quality of mounting is directly related to the survival of celebrities' handwritings. I think mounting is a major event that determines the fate of calligraphy and painting).
On the other hand, Chinese calligraphy and painting are mainly created on raw silk or rice paper. The material is thin and easily broken. Starting from the practical needs of reinforcement, they also need to be framed and reinforced to facilitate preservation and viewing. Many precious calligraphy, paintings, and even books, inscriptions, etc. from the past dynasties can survive to this day, despite various reasons. However, the most critical point is that it has been framed and protected on the back and around it with materials such as paper, damask, and silk. It can be said that without the mounting technology, it would be impossible to retain so many paintings and ink marks in the world.
So what is calligraphy and painting mounting? The professional term is to use various kinds of damask, brocade, paper, and silk to frame, beautify, or protect and restore ancient and modern calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting works made of paper and silk. Chinese calligraphy and painting are the unique national quintessence of our country and a treasure of oriental art unanimously recognized by countries around the world. The calligraphy and painting decoration technology that accompanies the development of the traditional art of calligraphy and painting is also a traditional craft unique to the Chinese nation. It has a history of more than 1,700 years. Its emergence and development are important for preserving the splendid national cultural heritage and spreading human civilization. Spiritual civilization has played a special role.
Framing can be said to be the "deep processing" of calligraphy and painting. Due to the colloid effect of ink, the paintings and calligraphy are often wrinkled and easily broken, making them inconvenient for viewing, circulation and collection. If it is left unmounted, yellow spots will appear over time, and even beetles will cause mold and mildew, and moisture will turn it into a "cake" that cannot be saved. Therefore, if calligraphy and painting are to remain permanent, they must be mounted on the center of the painting to make it flat, and then mounted with corresponding damask and silk according to the shade of color, the complexity of the composition, the width and length of the painting, etc., and then mounted into various forms. The format of the picture extends the viewing time. If you don't want to hang it up for viewing, at least support it with paper on the back and store it away.
In addition, the calligraphy and painting are exquisite, and only after being framed can they be radiant and vivid. Not only is it the icing on the cake, it can also improve the artistic effect of the work. Mr. Fu Baoshi once said in the article "The Difficulty of Mounting a Painting": "As a work of art, apart from the artistic level of the picture being determined by the painter, mounting is the most important step." Although it is a bit exaggerated to say that painting is divided into seven parts for mounting, we can also understand the close relationship between mounting and calligraphy and painting. In short, Chinese calligraphy and painting cannot be considered a complete work of art without mounting.