前言
楊鐵樑
黃賓虹論藝,主張:“渾厚華滋”,這四個字正好用來比喻中國文化之特色,博大而精深,永遠令人神往。徜徉於探索路上,欣逢同好,當引為良朋知己。我與碧懿相識達半個世紀,跟其夫婿羅正威一家更屬世交,平日常相往來,從碧懿身上見證了一位對知識渴求,且好學不倦者的故事。碧懿熱愛中國藝術,當年與正威共偕連理之後,除克盡照顧家庭、相夫教子的本份而外,還以過人的魄力和勤奮,不斷求學進修,未嘗稍懈。1980 至1990 年代間,參加佳士得拍賣行擔任義工多年,親身接觸大量書畫文物,在學問方面建立了紮實基礎。多年來又遍遊世界各地大小博物館,飽覽歷代名跡,使眼界開闊。她追隨過多位名師,專研傳統美術奧秘,對於近代國畫大師黃賓虹尤深有研究。1999 年取得香港大學藝術史博士學位後,曾在香港大學及香港中文大學藝術系任教,以其所學回饋社會。
《論語》云:“知之者不如好之者,好之者不如樂之者。”將文物的熱情提昇為蒐藏之樂,我自己深有體會。碧懿的書畫收藏歷史凡三十多載,得珍品數量盈百,年代涵蓋宋、明、清以至近代名家。但她並不視藏品為財富資產,而作為研究資料,對每件作品的歷史背景深入探討,且樂在其中。古代書畫不僅僅是藝術品,其中蘊含的文化內涵,往往豐富得難以想像。碧懿積長年歲月之功,終撰述成洋洋十萬言的著作,堪稱偉然鉅觀,此番毅力實令人讚歎。
可喜的是,這部圖文並茂的書冊,並不追求高深學問的包裝,而採取顯淺平白的表達方式,以期引領更多讀者進入書畫藝術的堂奧,其對中國文化推廣普及的貢獻,實不容置疑。值此書出版之際,我謹寫下幾句淺見,同時向碧懿以及所有愛好中國文化的同道送上衷心祝福。
A free translation and abridgement of the Foreword by Sir Ti-liang Yang, GBM
When Huang Binhong discussed painting, he often emphasized“渾厚華滋”, the vital qualities of depth and volume, luxuriance and integration. This could very well describe the breadth and richness of Chinese culture and art, with its numerous varieties.
It is often a pleasant experience to meet with like-minded friends who share the same interests in learning and enjoying the many splendours of Chinese art. Pikyee’s passion about Chinese painting and calligraphy goes back some forty years. I have known her and her husband Robert and his family for even longer. After her marriage to Robert, apart from being the excellent mother, housewife and efficient manager at home, Pikyee was able to devote herself to her studies and research with diligence and perseverance. Her enthusiasm can be quite infectious.
In the 80’s and 90’s, Pikyee worked as a volunteer in Christie’s, the auction house, participating, and being involved, in many auctions. These hands-on activities exposed her to a variety of Chinese art, painting and calligraphy, and enabled her to acquire firm practical foundations. Later she spent years studying Chinese art history, connoisseurship, classical Chinese and calligraphy with well-known scholars and teachers in Hong Kong and China. Ever so eager to see more paintings and to increase her understanding of the subject, she visited museums worldwide, viewing numerous exhibitions and attending seminars, which helped to develop further her insights and appreciation into the many facets of Chinese painting and calligraphy.
Pikyee specialized in the work of Huang Binhong which became the subject of her doctoral thesis. I was on the stage welcoming Pikyee when her doctorate was conferred by the University of Hong Kong. Thereafter, she taught periodically at the University of Hong Kong and at the Chinese University of Hong Kong as a way of sharing what she had learnt over the years.
The Analects contain this well-known aphorism,“知之者不如好之者,好之者不如樂之者”. This might loosely be translated as “one who knows his subject pales in comparison to one who is devoted to it, and one who is devoted to his subject in turn is inferior to one who delights in it.” As someone who has strong interest in matters Chinese myself, I understand the extra pleasure in moving onto the next plane from appreciation to building a collection which Pikyee started more than thirty years ago. Her fine assemblage ranges from the Song to the Ming and Qing dynasties and thereafter. She has chosen to use each piece, some very rare, to describe a certain theme in Chinese painting history. The combination of pictures, annotations plus writing, of and about the pieces, their creators, and their background, allow readers to form some idea of the diversity and development of Chinese painting throughout the dynasties. The presentation is done clearly and concisely, and the deep scholarship involved worn lightly. This approach is far more likely to encourage others to embark on similar journeys of appreciation and understanding.
Pikyee does not view collecting as a financial venture, but as objects of study and appreciation. I believe this work, which I have read with pleasure and by which I have been enlightened, is a signal contribution to understanding and enjoying Chinese art and its evolution and development.
I write these words in appreciation of Pikyee’s study and to express my wish that others may benefit from this carefully researched, balanced and well written work.
序
在中國傳統書法和繪畫裏,書畫皆同源。作者們都是採用千變萬化而又富有抒發性的筆墨繪寫,意圖能達到“氣韻生動”的效果。畫中所題的詩詞文賦注入書畫家們的個人思想情意,豐富作品的內涵,增添不少魅力。古人有云:“詩中有畫,畫中有詩”。而蓋在書畫上的印章篆刻富有文學性,亦同時注重趣味,在鐫刻的書法線條及經營位置方面非常考究,並發展成一個獨立的藝術形式。“詩書畫印”的完美結合,不但帶給觀者無限的美感,亦同時表露出作者們深厚的功底和個人修養。
每一件書畫作品,除了展示出不同的風格,還讓我們可以在悠悠的書畫史中追遡其根源,了解多一些創作的時代背景、不斷變化的思潮及文化氛圍。
書畫歷代形式多樣、派別繁多。本書試圖將明清以來中國書畫大概的發展過程,通過不同類別的作品,深入淺出地引說出來。至於怎樣欣賞書畫,可說是一件難事,亦可說是一件易事。易事是完全依賴直覺,即觀者和書畫藝術直接的溝通。難事是需要經過歲月的濡染熏陶、細心的研究和累積的經驗,不但深諳書畫史、懂得有關的文學知識,還須擁有紮實的鑑賞能力。本人沉迷中國書畫近四十年,一直瘋狂地追求其中的美,但不懂之處,猶如汪洋大海。作此書是希望可以和大家分享一些中國書畫美妙無窮的地方。
本人銘記指導我多年的恩師萬青力先生、黃仲方先生、周汝式教授、何叔惠老師、時學顏教授。他們數十載裏一直教導和培養我對中國藝術及書畫的認識和收藏,令過程中充滿挑戰和歡樂。本人希望本書能代表我對他們的感謝和愛戴。本人更衷心感謝楊鐵樑爵士的鼓勵和前言。我亦非常感謝李志綱博士寶貴的意見及細心的校對,吳玉蘭博士語文上的幫助,以及馮小恩小姐在美術設計方面的巧思。外子羅正威更是一直給予我無限的支持和鼓舞。惟文中錯漏尚多,只屬個人淺見。末學膚受,承蒙賜教。
2023 年1 月26 日在充滿陽光的夏日
蘇碧懿序於香江穆廬
Classical Chinese painting and calligraphy have their common origin in the use of the brush and ink. Painters and calligraphers deploy the expressive and multifarious use of the brush and ink, aspiring to infuse into their works the spirit resonance (氣韻生動) , which is the quality prized throughout the ages in the art. The inscriptions of poems and literary writings on paintings and works of calligraphy enrich further their content and give them extra artistic dimensions. As is said in a well-known aphorism, “there is painting in poetry, and poetry in painting.” However, the use of seals is also another important feature. Though literary in nature, seals can also serve a playful role and be full of delight. Seal carving, an independent art form, emphasizes calligraphic lines and aesthetic placement of characters. The harmonious combination of poetry, calligraphy, painting and seal in painting and calligraphy, not only nourishes the spirit and defines the changing concept of beauty in different times, but also reveals the accomplishments and self-cultivation of individual painters and calligraphers.
In the long history of traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy, there are many different forms and schools of expression. Different categories, besides displaying distinctive styles, have their own artistic origins. It is important to understand their historical background and the prevailing artistic milieu in which they were created. I have tried, in this work, to trace briefly the development of Chinese painting and calligraphy from the Ming through to the Qing dynasty. The path I have taken is to use individual pieces of work to illustrate the different themes and strands in its development throughout the dynasties. The appreciation of Chinese painting and calligraphy has been considered a difficult skill to acquire. Those with the right instincts and interest can simply go with the flow in appreciating its visual beauty. The difficult part is how to get to the next plane to develop a deeper knowledge of the pieces. Besides being adept in its history, one has to be familiar with the skills involved in painting and calligraphy, understand the literary connotations involved, acquire certain degree of connoisseurship in authenticating, and has a firm grip of the works’ artistic and intrinsic value.
I have spent close to forty years pursuing the beauty of Chinese painting and calligraphy and in learning how to fully appreciate them. I started doing the research which eventually became this publication many years ago. My main purpose is to share what I have learnt over the years with those with such a common interest. I also hope that those who are interested, but without the necessary background of Chinese history and culture, can add to their arsenal of appreciative faculties by seeing how one interested individual has gone about her journey.
I am deeply indebted to my esteemed teachers, Professor Wan Qingli, Mr. Harold Wong, Professor Chou Ju-hsi, Mr. Ho Shu-hui and Professor Shih Hsio-yen. They have taught me so much over the years and filled my journey, in learning and collecting Chinese art and painting, with such happiness and excitement. I hope this book can reflect, to a very limited degree, my gratitude and affection to them. I am immensely grateful to Sir Ti-liang Yang for his encouragement and Foreword. My gratitude also goes to Dr. Lee Chi-Kwong, for his many suggestions about content and format, to Dr. Laura Ng for her help in matters of style and syntax, and to Ms Feng Xiaoen for her assistance in the layout and design of the book. My husband, Robert, in his indulgent ways, has given me the most wonderful support and encouragement throughout the years.
Such errors and omissions which remain are my own and I would welcome suggestions and comments from those who share this interest.
Pikyee Kotewall at Mulu in Hong Kong
On a sunny day, 26th of January, 2023