Courtesy Name: Mengduan
Pseudonyms: Youshi, Aosou, Jiulong Shanren 'The Nine Dragon Mountaineer'
A key figure of the passing of the tradition and showcase of Yuanti Literati Style
He was an amateur painter who was greatly inspired by the artists who have practised the Yuanti Literati styles.
As a landscape painter calligrapher and poet who was interested in exploring the different styles, he had a different way of depicting his work and was able to cultivate an expressionistic approach in his works with his knowledge of poetry.
Many of Wang Fu showcased a more free-handed and exhibitionistic form of expression in his works. His works were often accommodated with pieces of literature that described the landscape and sceneries in his paintings. Thus a showcase of the Literati form of art that grew in popularity in the Mid Ming Dynasty.
His works accommodated the emotive form of words and literature through poems with the forms of academic structure art pieces similar to Ma-Xia.
Joys of the Fisherman (Handscroll, ink on paper)
“ Right and wrong reach not where men fish;
Glory and disgrace dog the official riding his horse.”
In this work, the long handscroll depicts a mountainous area with a lake and fisherman houses as they go about their livelihoods catching fish on their boats and land.
The long handscroll consists of a few sections, with each section showcasing Wang Fu’s expression space and scenery.
He has illustrated a variety of characters throughout the hand scroll, each going about their days, each person going about the joys in their lifestyle. Starting with some men on their boat as they travel across the lake. Also, a few scholars spot with their fellow servants carrying along their belongings. In one of the houses, a pair of individuals sitting by the window, chatting amidst the scenery. Some fishermen carrying along with their catch for the day.
With the poem above it can well be interpreted he admired the joyous easygoing lives of the fishermen. He talks about ‘where men fish’ they are not punished and discriminated against for their wrongdoings. They are not criticised for their acts and live a carefree life, ‘Right and wrong reach not’, it does not apply to them. However, he then compares them to the officials. The life of an official comes ‘glory and disgrace’, even though an official has the luxury of riding a horse, he is criticised for his wrongdoings and bashed for their acts. The pressure that comes with being an official, to be pinpointed and shamed upon like a dog. Thus in this painting, Wang Fu depicts the simple life of fishermen which he finds joyous and free through the expression and free like the style of painting. In which he admires such a lifestyle.
The value and tones of ink wash he has used to paint the mountains showcase the vastness and grandness of the mountains in the background, illustrating the painting’s space and structure. Technique wise, Wang Fu did not focus on detail but instead the consistency and overall balance of the elements in his work.
He captured the general shapes and forms of the trees, houses and landforms and instead focused on adding texture, form and shadow into his work to create this perspective as you travel through the piece. However, despite his less detailed work, he can capture this likeliness of the scenery due to his control and understanding of anatomy and perspective. In laymen terms, Wang Fu knew the sizes and shapes of elements he wished to depict and where to place them in the painting. The advancement of light to dark from foreground to background creates the depth in his artwork, as if you were there yourself, glancing into the mountains afar.
I feel that this was something I admired in his work that despite his simplicity In conveying the works, his mastery of perspective, depth and values was what made this painting come together and animate itself.
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