Discourse on Painting

Inscription: Artist’s inscription and signature (80 columns in semi-cursive script)

Discourse on Painting

The Scholar-painter is a man who is awkward in the world of practical affairs. Such a man, conscious of his want of ability, addresses himself to the study of the classics. If he fails to attain distinction in this field, he should then turn to painting; if still unsuccessful, he may then retire and apply himself to the craft of an artisan-painter. With his mention of an artisan’s craft he ironically suggests that it is not technique but the spirit and conception of the artist which is essential in the art of painting. The point of his statement is that the scholar-painter stands aloof from the honors and profits of the world….[1]

畫說

或謂畫者曰：“先生其天下之至工者乎？”畫者曰：“否，此非天下之所謂工者也，其必天下之至拙者而後事此也。”天下之至工者，位公卿之上，樹社稷之衛，而任天下安危之重。苟利於生，則辱其身，隱其行於刀俎鼎鑊之下，為朝廷之尊，天下人民之眾莫識其動靜。治亂頓易，既死復生，殽於從妾，陰蓄身名，此則天下之至工者也。其次，傴僂公卿，焬締翊翼，擧文章道德之士，各予一短長而去之，或遠或近，或死或生，而後快其所欲，以自振其功名，士凡老之殛其軀，殃其尸，身一死而墻茨興譏，食委蛄蟪，而猶未之悔也，亦可謂天下之王者矣。其次世祿衎衎，結天下知名之士以自衛，而天下之士不察其術，且目之為燕、趙豪傑，皆左右之，心樂為其所用，盜其名，竊其器，以壞國家之法度，草菅生民，漁牟組罟，輦貝輿金，舟載駝伏，田連阡陌，屋塗雲椒，子弟倉頭翩躚，錦翠靷鏤，光瑩驕族，黨徒窮乏飲食，噼呌俯仰趨蹌，即布衣故舊，昔之樂為所用者，得一納屨於門内，而猶辟易，而罄咳之餘，將之予違也，亦可謂天下之工者矣。求天下之所謂工者未可與樂也。而天下之事，復無所用，而自見其工，則去而讀書，書雖工，而《六經》之學不足重於天下，則去而學詩。詩雖可為《小雅》之什，不敢讀及於終篇，則去而學畫。墨之淺深，筆之良楛，紙之貴賤，時之寒暑，皆未可較，而皆可以畫稱之，而天下之人亦未同有過謫者，此誠天下之拙人，而藏其身於畫工之術者也。畫者乃喟然曰：“畫不工，其亦免於斧鑽乎，吾亦可以老矣。”乃負其畫而見山東邢生，邢生者前太僕子願[邢侗, 1551‒1612]先生之孫也。子願以書畫甲天下，亡之後纔五十餘年。邢生亦思隱其工於長安，其必天下之至拙而無所用其工者也。其必無所用其工，而可避其過謫者也。其必亦以畫自老，而生其至拙之良者也。嗚呼！邢生其勿去吾拙以易天下所工，吾與邢生其庶幾共之。

附詩

其人則矯矯，其畫則蒼蒼。絕技渾城市，奇石避廟廊。

悲歌燕趙沒，書卷海山藏。不去東蒙下，瀟疎問野王。


老來得畫友，灑墨潑江干。濃淡山河動，蒼茫雲樹寒。

沉胸抱太古，盪目脫長安。相許高山曲，無弦壁上彈。

丁未七月為命石年臺詞宗請正。黃山法若真

Artist’s seals

Huangshi 黃石
Fa Ruozhen yin 法若真印
Huangshan Yishi 黃山逸史

Label strip

Unidentified artist, 1 column in standard script, undated; 1 seal:

法黃山草書手卷，精品，殽庵藏。 [印]： 毅靈

Collector’s seal

Gu Luofu 顧洛阜 (John M. Crawford, Jr, 1918−1988)

Hanguang Ge Zhu Gu Luofu jiancang Zhongguo gudai shuhua zhi zhang
漢光閣主顧洛阜鋻藏中國古代書畫之章

[1] Summary by Tseng Yu-ho Ecke. In Tseng Yu-ho Ecke (or Zeng Youhe), Chinese Calligraphy. Exh. cat. Philadelphia, Boston: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Boston Book & Art Publisher, 1971, n.p., cat. no. 78.

John M. Crawford Jr. American, New York (by 1971–d. 1988; bequeathed to MMA)

Weng, Wan-go, and Thomas Lawton. Chinese Painting and Calligraphy: A Pictorial Survey: 69 Fine Examples from the John Crawford, Jr. Collection. New York: Dover Publications, 1978, pp. 106–107, cat. no. 49.

Shih Shou-ch'ien, Maxwell K. Hearn, and Alfreda Murck. The John M. Crawford, Jr., Collection of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting in the Metropolitan Museum of Art: Checklist. Exh. cat. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1984, p. 41, cat. no. 138.