The development of ancient and modern Chinese and foreign art deduces the fact that a lonely artistic life must have a brilliant artistic life. In the history of China fine arts, we often cite an example to illustrate the value of art in a specific environment: Sheng Mao, a painter in the Yuan Dynasty, and Zhenwu (1280~ 1354), one of the four major painting schools in the Yuan Dynasty, were contemporary painters and neighbors. Although living in front of the door, the situation is very different. "Home often wants to draw with gold thread. Suddenly Zhen Wu's door opened and Wu's wife smiled bitterly. Zhenwu said,' Twenty years later, there will be no such thing.' "Later, Zhenwu became an outstanding representative of Yuan Dynasty painting circles, while Sheng Mao, with a strong bourgeois atmosphere, only got the evaluation of" excelsior and more skillful ". Cezanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, etc. In the history of western art, they are all lonely masters. From a distance, Huang Qiuyuan and Sha Qi are two outstanding artists in China painting in the 20th century. Mr. Tao Wubo mentioned in this article is also an artist who chooses loneliness and abides by it.
Tao, a native of Pengze, Jiangxi, is a White Laker. Born in 1900, almost the same age as the century, he died in a crane in 1996, completing his lonely and rich artistic life. Historical experience tells us that the fate choice of China cultural people is often manifested in two different States: one is to respond positively; One is passive defense. The so-called survival rule of "being rich is helpful to the world, and being poor is immune to it" actually shows its complexity and personality in every literati. It is not a bad thing for people who are engaged in painting and calligraphy to choose loneliness actively. Mr. Tao studied in Nanjing Academy of Fine Arts and Shanghai Changming Art College. The careful teaching of the predecessors in painting and calligraphy and the edification in metropolis should lay a good foundation for Tao's later choice of life path. But these superior conditions did not change his original intention of concentrating on art. At the age of 30, he did not choose to live in a metropolis, but embarked on the road of Pengze, a small town full of pastoral life. Such a choice may be puzzling at the time, but for him, it was right. Judging from Tao's life experience, making such a choice is not reckless and frivolous, but obviously well thought out. 193 1 year, he returned to his hometown of Pengze, built a "My Garden" and lived in it. His legacy is profound, and he wrote a pair of couplets: borrowing calligraphy and painting to amuse himself, which has never been seen before, and has never been seen since; What's more, it is the most rare place for success, Pengze in the mountains and Kuanglu in the garden. This is not so much Tao's attachment to pastoral landscapes and his negative attitude towards painting and calligraphy, but rather Tao's active choice of painting and calligraphy as an academic and long-term concern. He said that "unprecedented" is the pride of looking up to the sages, while "latecomers" are full of confidence and satisfaction in their choices. "Why win again" is not a simple local feeling, but a reflection on the accumulation of local culture and humanistic thought, especially the influence of Tao Yuanming's thought. In the vicissitudes of nearly a century, he thought so and did so. Lin Sanzhi, a great calligrapher, commented on Tao Wubo as follows: "Ten years ago, Jade clarified her grievances. At first, it was slightly known for its title, but in recent years, it has been praised for its poems and paintings. His poems, books and paintings are just like his own people. He cherishes jade with wisdom, and the fragrance is still strong in the evening. Although sleepy, it has been robbed. " (Preface to Collection of Tao Calligraphy and Painting, Shanghai People's Fine Arts Publishing House)
Tao's life is compassionate and lonely, and his painting and calligraphy art is simple, profound and refined.
Compared with the displacement of the country and the sadness of losing his wife and relatives, people have the deepest understanding of life. 1926, under the complicated situation of warlord scuffle and local gentry struggle, Tao, who was only 27 years old, as a progressive youth, on the one hand faced the arrest of the reactionary authorities, and at the same time lost his wife and brother one after another. Coupled with the multiple pressures of his mother's illness and his young son, he expressed his thoughts in this painful period in the poem "White Deer Cave". This is one of them.
Tao's second mental shock was 1937, when his mother, Mrs. Zhou, died, and Tao almost died of grief. In addition, the outbreak of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression this year aggravated Tao's grief and indignation. It is also the disaster of this nation that made Tao embark on the road of exile for nearly ten years, thus disillusioning his dream of longing for a leisurely pastoral life. He wrote in his poem: "The lonely people are barren and have no medicine, and there are tears in their homes. It's hard for ghosts to turn over in dreams, groan on pillows and have no revenge. The clouds are low and the house is dark, and the sound of the spring is noisy and cold. My wife and children must cry often, and the green hills there are not old mountains. " "Longitudinal Ma Chi drive land, always generous to the battlefield. I will not drink the blood of slaves this trip, but swear to death by the ancient Yellow River Road. " From these inspiring and forceful words, it is not difficult to see that Tao's pastoral romance and interest in painting and calligraphy are the highest spiritual realm of "inaction". He chose to come to a remote village from a prosperous city, which did not destroy his strong national pride. He did not amuse himself with painting and calligraphy, but enriched and enriched his life with painting and calligraphy.
Tao's third insight into life was during the "Cultural Revolution" when intellectuals in China generally suffered. 1955 was implicated and criticized for the "Ceng Jing incident". 1958 was dismissed without reason. 1963 is labeled as "four molecules". From 65438 to 0966, the "Cultural Revolution" began, which destroyed all the collections, books and calligraphy, and began a long hard labor career. Of course, fortunately, this series of setbacks and blows did not hit him mentally, but strengthened his belief in life. After 1980, he was reborn, returned to an idyllic spiritual home in his dream, and began a period of "taking painting and calligraphy as a pastime" in the true sense.
Tao's painting and calligraphy art is based on his lonely life course and a beautiful portrayal of his life. In his paintings, it is difficult for us to see figure paintings in an independent sense, and more are landscape paintings and flower-and-bird paintings. This is consistent with the concept that traditional Chinese painting reflects Confucianism with figure painting. At the age of thirty, he still gave up the comfortable city life and retired to the countryside. Obviously, this is deeply influenced by the birth thought of Buddhism and the inaction thought of Taoism. However, how can Tao, who has a good family background, is familiar with the four books and five classics and shows off his talents in the world, have such thoughts and ideas? Obviously, this is the concentrated expression of China's traditional literati thought in him. It can be clearly felt from his painting trajectory.
This paper divides Tao's painting art into two periods: the early period before the 1980s and the late period after the 1980s.
Loneliness, loneliness and cold are the themes of his early paintings.
China pays attention to teachers' and students' feelings, while Tao's painting techniques are obviously learned from Huang, Wu Changshuo and others, which is related to his learning experience in Nanjing Academy of Fine Arts and Changming Academy of Fine Arts. The external form of works of art is important, but what works of art can impress people is more the theme. Landscape painting is a painting form that can best express people's mood and dispel people's depression and entrust their hearts. In Tao's early landscape paintings, we can see the inscription: "Sunset Bridge is gone forever" (1946) "Wandering is hard to look back, and it has been vicissitudes for fifty years." (1946) "I only heard birds singing, but no one came and went." (Earlier years) "I'm afraid the green hills are laughing, and the clouds haven't lived for ten years." (1947) "The two peak apes have not arrived, and the cold monk has not returned all the way." (1968) "The sky is clear in front of the temple, and the trees behind it are shady. I hope to live here for a long time and never see anyone again. " (197 1 year) "Write a cloud of smoke, live at will, and don't have to pay more for it." (1972), etc. As early as the Southern Dynasties, Zong Bing (375~443) put forward the artistic view of landscape painting, that is, "Tao should be based on things" and "clear taste". What are Tao and Xiang of Tao Wubo? Is it anger at reality, or lamenting the injustice of fate; Whether there is no way to serve the country or the indifference of the world may be both.
In Tao's flower-and-bird paintings, eagles, plum blossoms and chrysanthemums are common themes. These natural and spiritual animals and plants are also full of humanity in Tao Wubo's works. In his inscription and postscript, you can read such a sentence: "After years of hardships, it is difficult to reach out and get gas." (1946 "Eagle Stone Map") "Looking back, I am full of ambition. You can forget the year and you can die. " (1947 "The Independent Map of Heroes") "Two stones are cold, but a few branches are quiet. No confidant, first frost will be in the autumn. " (1947 "Cold Map") "Narcissus is solitary and clean, yellow flowers are sparse, as cold as it is, and as inappropriate." (1954 "Chrysanthemum Narcissus Map") "The world strives for prosperous love, and the lonely mountain is old." (197 1 "Spring Color Map"), "Chongyang has no wine and no poetry, and it is broken. It's good to be imprisoned like this, and it's raining at night. " (197 1 year's "Chongyang confession") "How can I make up for my anger and anger? I should feel sorry for myself. The origin of the world is doomed, and injustice is only this year. " (1976 "Look at the picture by glaring"), "The stars and the wind last night, a deserted platform, the Chu River is empty. I am also busy with people's wishes and write a bunch of crimson spring. " (1979 "spring scenery") and so on.
From these plain poems, we can see the change of Tao's lonely mood. In his landscape paintings, we can feel Tao Yuanming's mood of "staying away from home" and "staying in the garden", but Tao Yuanming's mood of "falling into the dust by mistake" and "living in a cage for a long time" is not. In his flower-and-bird paintings, we can see that Xiao Shu, a native of Badashan (Zhu Da), is unpretentious, while Tao is not obsessed with Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism all his life. What is commendable is that he did not "live alone" after "helping the world", but chose the pastoral residence of "living and working in peace and contentment" from the beginning. In a word, the artistic language in his early paintings, such as emptiness, quietness, sparseness, simplicity, coldness, loneliness, coldness and loneliness, constructed a profound artistic conception of ancient style.
The painting style in the later period of Tao has obviously changed, with a little more warmth and a little less bitterness. From I don't come back at dusk by the bridge to Tiger Walks to the village and enjoys the fragrance of plum blossoms in one room (1982), from I didn't see anyone to I came with my friends yesterday (1983), we saw the "no me" in the early painting style and the "me" in the later painting style. Obviously, this is a change of life mood. From loneliness in early years to "reminiscing after the robbery" in later years (1990), from wandering in middle age to "fragrance of fruits and vegetables in a simple village" in later years (199 1 year), from "how sinister the world was" during the Cultural Revolution to "let bygones be bygones" during the reform and opening up. But from many of his works in his later years, we can still feel the "loneliness" of his mind, which is the precipitation of a weather-beaten old man's life experience and condenses into noble character and independent personality. For example, "You are willing to work for yourself in your old age" (1992) and "Why do you worry endlessly about ancient poetry?" (1990) and other irreparable life losses and regrets. This reminds me of a sentence by Mr. Su, a British art historian: "Experience forms a philosophical mind", which is what he felt when he appreciated China's landscape paintings. I think this is also a life process that any wise man must go through-that is, experience. After 1980s, Tao's understanding of painting was a great release of his life experience. Obviously, he is much luckier than his fellow villagers, Zhejiang painters and others, and from his works in his later years, we can also feel Qi Baishi's "declining reform", Huang's old and refined style, and Wu Changshuo's seal cutting style. Tao wrote in 1983's Lotus Picture: "Lu's lotus painting is magnificent and inviolable. Unfortunately, it has not been drafted. "
After the death of Jiangxi painter Tao, people gradually paid attention to him. When he was in his eighties, he had been holding exhibitions and publishing calligraphy and painting collections. Of course, in his artistic research, people generally recognize his achievements in calligraphy.
Tao's calligraphy is as quaint and unique as his personality. This is true of both his poems and his writing style. He is good at writing styles such as original works, calligraphy, cursive script, official script and seal script. As early as the age of 7, he was familiar with Tang poetry, four books and other works, and wrote posts by Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan. At the age of 65,438+00, at the age of 65,438+05, he can also sing with the old gentleman's poetry club. These profound and solid traditional cultural skills undoubtedly laid a solid foundation for his later artistic attainments. From the perspective of calligraphy alone, a hundred schools of thought contend in the early years, but middle age is still deeply rooted in the traditional soil, as he said in the seven-character couplet of Lishu (1983): "Spring breeze reads the preface of Lanting quickly, and autumn rain is leisurely near the steamed stuffed bun monument." Later, under the guidance of Wu Changshuo, Huang and other masters, he traced back to. Although the seal script style represented by the couplet and the inscription couplet was influenced by Wu Changshuo, Tao's unique vision and creation still surpassed Wu Changshuo's artistic achievements. After reading Tao's calligraphy, Mr. Qi Gong, a famous calligrapher, said, "It is slightly better than Wu Yong in vividness, randomness, interest and variability." Obviously, not many people can compete with Wu Changshuo in modern calligraphy. The achievement of Tao's calligraphy lies not only in his "Rome was not built in a day", but also in his "cautious and independent" gentleman character, detached Taoist thought, wild and uninhibited artistic personality, wild and simple literati temperament and profound study of calligraphy and painting. Before the age of 45, Tao completed three volumes of Biography, the 98th couplet, and more than 80 couplets of Pan's poems, which was a great achievement in the calligraphy circle at that time.
Being unconventional and self-contained is the pursuit of Tao calligraphy art. Obviously, this is also the publicity of his personality. He said: "If you want to be a calligrapher, you must have a personal style. ....................................................................................................................................................... ........................... is naturally full of posts, absorbing the essence of each family and blending it into my pen will be interesting. " ("My Learning Experience" 1984) Therefore, he highly praised Su Shi, Huang Tingjian and others' interesting style of calligraphy in the Song Dynasty, appreciated the personal style of Qing Teng, Ba Da and Fu Shan, and admired Shi Tao's self-worth pursuit of "I am for myself". He talked about Fu Shan's writing style in the postscript of "Poems of Hometown Flowers and Trees" in regular script: "Fu Shan talks about books, but he is not clever, rather ugly than flattering, rather detached and tactless, rather straightforward and arranged, and strives to achieve this state, but it is difficult to seek it from Han bamboo slips." His wild and uninhibited character can often be reflected in his poems. 1983, in the painting "Lotus Pond Qingqu", he wrote an inscription in Sanskrit: "Governing Xinjiang, herding horses in Harada." Of course, what is even more rare is that he still maintains this purity and frankness in his twilight years. In 1990' s "Double Crabs", he wrote a poem: "Nature is rampant, why does it hurt elegance?" How rough the road is, how fast it can be. "1995 running script seven-character couplet:" Come and swim in the Three Rivers, get drunk and sleep five old clouds. " But Tao Wu Bo's attitude towards art is modest and implicit. He said: "Of course, I am deeply influenced by Wu. I love the original carved stone drum, and I love the stone drum written by Wu Suo. I synthesized 96 couplets from the stone drum characters contained in Jin. I want to jump out of Wu's fence and show my personal style. But my knowledge is shallow, and there are few voices outside the book. This is really beyond my ability. " (My Learning Experience 1984) 1985, he wrote in a gift to Mr. Zhao Rong: "Only a hero can help the world, and shame will show his false name to time. "1986, he spoke highly of the art of Wu Changshuo and Li Keran:" Integrating Wu Laochuan, who is full of ancient meaning, and innovating Li Jianiu. " He said modestly in the preface of Pan Inscriptions Collection: He admired the original style and said that he was less than one-half of the original artistic value. When people spoke highly of the "Tao Wubo phenomenon" in the 20th century, he said, "My things are still immature. "Yes, Tao's calligraphy, whether seal script or cursive script, did not follow in Wu Changshuo's footsteps, nor did it fall into the conventional pattern of traditional calligraphy style, nor did it grandstanding the fashionable calligraphy style. There is only true self and nature. I think this is also inseparable from his profound Taoist thought-pursuing nature as the highest value. In his words, this is: "Books are as ugly as dead branches, and poems are as sour as village mash. "Based on this, I think Mr. Qi Gong's evaluation is pertinent.
High art and high character. When talking about his experience in learning calligraphy, Tao said: "The higher the character, the higher the quality of calligraphy, so the moral quality of calligraphers is the most important. Yan Guanshu, majestic and majestic, is as awe-inspiring. " In Tao Wubo's ideological space, Tao Yuanming and Badashan people had a great influence on him. Tao Yuanming and Badashan people are both fellow villagers and sages of Tao, and their status in China's cultural and artistic history is quite high. Tao Wubo's thought of "idleness and happiness in Shan Ye" was obviously influenced by Tao Yuanming's "going back". In Tao's paintings, profound poetry can often be reflected. Chrysanthemum is the motif of Tao Yuanming's poems, and there is a poem "Pick chrysanthemums under the hedge and see Nanshan leisurely". Tao Dongli 1963 Qiu, Dongli 1990, etc. Taking chrysanthemums as the theme is obviously the poetic harmony of "picking chrysanthemums under the hedge". 1989 The poem "There is Gu Song on the Mountain" says: "There is Gu Song on the mountain and cypress at the foot. There are no chariots and horses all day long, how can the dust customs enter? " This is exactly the poem of Tao Yuanming's "dust-free miscellaneous household" and "no cars and horses". 1985 Tao Hangshu's seven-character couplet: "Swim too white and cheer, but Mu Yuanming returns." In the same year, I visited the Tao Yuanming Memorial Hall and wrote a couplet: "Abandoning Peng Guan, Song Cuiju, Huang Qinshu and getting drunk, becoming the first person in the Millennium pastoral school." Tao Wubo also admires Badashan people. He said in the poem "Commemorating the 360th Anniversary of the Birth of Badashanren", "Let him shed a thousand tears, and it is difficult to wash away the death and sorrow of his family." After reading the paintings of Badashan people, I felt: "The paintings sent by enthusiastic books are really unprecedented, and the grievances of the old country are hidden in the Tao and the Buddha." Therefore, in Tao, we can see the heroic spirit of "daring to distinguish right from wrong, protecting righteousness, staying out of the world and being a real husband" and "cultivating noble spirit and learning from the emperor", and we can also see the quiet voice of "cultivating one's nature as if it were quiet" and "sweeping away the morning clouds in the south mountain". Therefore, after a thorough understanding of life, the old man Tao went to the realm of "muddleheaded", which reminds people of Zheng Banqiao, who is "rarely confused". At the age of 90, Tao wrote "Confused Longevity", which was a footnote for his 80th birthday "Better be confused next year". Obviously, their confusion is not true. Zheng Banqiao can taste "the voice of people's sufferings" from bamboo, Tao can taste "character" from bamboo, and feel "resentment of the old country" and "full of enthusiasm" from Badashan people's paintings. The acquisition of these characters and feelings is the precipitation and creation of China's "cautious independence" behavior for thousands of years.
At the end of the article, Tao's two self-elegies are summarized:
Wisdom can neither be stupid nor stupid, and the world has nowhere to go. Without coke, life will die, sadness will wander and the soul will come back.
Those who have tasted the ups and downs, tossed around several times, and dared to pursue detachment, even if they have experienced wind, frost, rain and snow, will not be poor ghosts.