Bamboo has its own uniqueness. It grows in a quiet place and has a beautiful appearance. In the harsh environment, it is firm, straight and cold, and these characteristics are in line with some aesthetics of the times. Therefore, bamboo is called the personality symbol of gentlemen and sages.
During the development of China art history, many masters who are good at painting bamboo have emerged. The bamboos in their works have their own characteristics and express their artistic thoughts and ideas. Here are some very representative painters and how bamboo is represented in their works.
First of all, Xu Xi, who is "outstanding"
In the history of China fine arts, it seems that the appearance of "Mei, Lan, Zhu and Ju" began in the Yuan Dynasty, but when did the real investigation of flower-and-bird painting and bamboo painting begin? It goes back to the Five Dynasties, represented by Xu Xi, a flower and bird painter of the Five Dynasties. The biggest feature of Xu Xi's painting is "sticking to ink", that is, the internal and external outlines of flowers, birds, grass and bamboo are first outlined with an ink pen. The lines he draws are strong and strong, with a strong sense of bone, which embodies a very profound painting skill.
Second, "the ancestor of Zhu Mo's painting"-Wentong
Wentong loved bamboo painting all his life. He first put forward the theory of "having answers". He believes that before painting bamboo, the painter must deeply observe and be familiar with the shape and growth law of bamboo, and then add his own understanding, so as to create an image of bamboo in his mind, and then "have a plan" before he can "shake it straight", so that the painter's thoughts and feelings can be better expressed through his works.
Third, "painting with books, painting and calligraphy are of the same origin"-Zhao Mengfu
One of Zhao Mengfu's representative works should belong to "Bamboo Stone Map in Muwo". This bamboo painting is the embodiment of Zhao Mengfu's thought of "painting and calligraphy are of the same origin".
The center is carved with wood, the lines are like cones scraping sand, and the old branches are written in light ink, showing strength, straightness and roundness, revealing a strong skill. Draw bamboo sticks downstream, then draw branches on both sides, draw bamboo leaves with thick ink and light ink at intervals, and superimpose the word "grid" or "knot", which is natural and not far-fetched, chic and not pretentious. Describing bamboo poles, branches, knots and leaves with cursive brushwork in calligraphy is quite expressive.
Fourth, "painting and calligraphy are equally divided"-Zhenwu
The bamboo painted by Wu Zhen is powerful, delicate and subtle, and the calligraphy and painting set each other off, free and easy, clear and unique. It can be described as a typical ink bamboo painting in later generations.
Compared with Wen Tong, his bamboo painting has made a great breakthrough. The bamboo and bamboo poles painted by Wen Tong are tortuous, and the bamboo leaves are very dense. The positive and negative sides of the bamboo leaves are expressed through the change of ink color. The change of ink color of bamboo painted by Wu Zhen reflects the front and back of bamboo pole, and the new one uses light ink to paint twigs and heavy ink to paint leaves. The length of the leaves grows freely, but it is sparse and simple, especially vigorous and tall. The branches are short and the leaves are sparse, and the pen is not connected, just like his cursive script, ups and downs, in one go. The nib is a little bald, and it is thrown out with the center and stands thick.
V. "Body and Bamboo"-Zheng Banqiao
Zheng Banqiao can draw bamboo at will, and his pen is great. His works convey poetic sentiment, praise the breeze and strength, and express his ambition to care about people's sufferings. He is one of the "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou", and his bamboo paintings are famous to this day. His paintings take life as a teacher, advocate "learning half, keeping half" and "exploring spiritual seedlings by himself", and form a distinctive personal style.
The above are some typical examples of bamboo painting in China. Of course, in the long history of China art, there are also many masters who draw bamboo, such as Ni Zan in Yuan Dynasty, Xia Chang and Wang Gu in Ming Dynasty, Wu Changshuo in modern times, and Pan Tianshou and Zhang Lichen in contemporary times. The bamboo pen and ink written by these people are vivid, both in form and spirit, vivid and vigorous, full of charm and truth.