WU CHANGSHUO 吳昌碩 (Huzhou, China, 1844-1927)

Prunus

Dated 1920

Ink on paper, mounted as a hanging scroll

Artist's colophon and two red seals

approx. 134cm high, 68cm wide

吳昌碩 梅花

1920年作

水墨紙本 立軸

款識：

只管和煙和墨寫，不知是梅花。

庚申孟春，吳昌碩。

鈐印：「吳俊之印」、「倉碩」

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PROVENANCE:

Property of a Gentleman, UK Private Collection

來源：

士紳珍藏，英國私人收藏

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As a leading painter during the early twentieth century, Wu Changshuo (1844-1927) was renowned for rejuvenating the art of painting flowers and birds by introducing an expressive, individualistic style more generally associated with literati painting.

Born to a scholarly family in Huzhou, Zeijiang, Wu Changshuo became an imperial official in Liaoning before the eventual collapse of the Qing Dynasty. He initially dedicated his artistic efforts to poetry and calligraphy, and also led the Xiling Seal Art Society in Hangzhou. In his thirties he began to paint, and it was only later on that he considered himself part of the Shanghai School of painters.

Wu's art is positioned at the intersection of traditional and modern styles of painting and calligraphy, encapsulating both ancient traditions and innovative modern trends that set his works apart. He favoured the use of bright colours and sharp contrasts in his works, which can be noted from the varied themes in his paintings, including bright floral motifs such as chrysanthemums and wisterias, captured in his favoured style of freehand (daxieyi), often translated as large/monumental freehand style.

Today, Wu’s works are housed in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum School of Fine Arts in Boston, and the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, among others.

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