Fan Guangchou: love Su mounted moral world

Writing/Minna? Photo/Zhu Hong

This article has been published in the Oriental Culture Weekly 2019

In sharp contrast to the long queues in front of the Suzhou Museum and the endless crowds inside the museum, the "painting and calligraphy framing and restoration studio" on the second floor of the main building of the Dumouyuan Garden at No. 31, Panru Lane, seems to be isolated from the world and unusually quiet. Isolated from the world, unusually quiet. The studio is located in the old site of the Wang's Tun Yu Yi Zhuang, first built for the descendants of Wang Griddle. From the hall in front of the brick doorway inscription can be seen, was built in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. Stepping on the wooden floor coated with alcohol red lacquer on the second floor, 82-year-old Mr. Fan Guangchou is lying on the mounting table, concentrating on the repair of an ancient painting. This is a Su Bo collection of Ming and Qing dynasty silk flowers, Fan Guangchou is replenishing the silk, in front of a small strand of a small strand, is Fan Guangchou teacher for many years to collect the Ming and Qing dynasties of the ancient silk, he often bring their own home collection of materials to repair. People who know how to restore paintings and calligraphy understand how precious such restoration materials are. It is with restorers like Fan Guangchou that the world can see the beauty of ancient paintings and calligraphy that have never been destroyed. The most traditional master-disciple relationship continues here, with a 40-year-old junior apprentice calling out to a fellow apprentice who is about 30 years old, but who has first learned the art from his master, Sister. Fan Guangchou from 1953 into Mr. Ma Hosun installed pool Ying Wenzhai counting, to today, the time has passed 65 years.

Practicality

? Chinese craft culture, is an important part of Chinese civilization, has a long history and brilliant achievements, and people's lives have a close relationship with its greatest attribute, is practical. To serve for practicality is the root of craft. Life we can not do without craft, painting and calligraphy can not be separated from the framing, Chinese painting and calligraphy materials are mainly damask silk and rice paper, thin and soft texture, once the ink and color tends to crease uneven, in order to facilitate the collection, it must be thickened and strengthened, painting and calligraphy framing initially originated in the ancients to view, collect the requirements of the paintings, the Tang Dynasty Emperor Li Shimin preferred painting and calligraphy, painting and calligraphy framing has been a great development. Historical records, Japanese envoys to our country to learn framing, Tang Taizong personally ordered Zhang Yanyuan face-to-face skills, framing thus spread to Japan. "Song style framing" is the Song Huizong Palace collection of painting and calligraphy of a framing form, is the highest peak in the history of framing, through the Tang to the Song Dynasty, painting and calligraphy framing into the heyday, to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, painting and calligraphy framing to reach its peak, the framing technology from the Palace to expand to the folk, "Su frame "Su mount" began to rise. Ming and qing dynasties, wu developed economy, appeared a large number of literati connoisseur collector, they are very concerned about the decoration of the work, and the framer's frequent exchanges and discussions, su framing gradually stereotypes, formed a scroll flat and soft, mounted properly, the overall tone of elegant and clean, pay attention to the color matching, pattern pattern strive to harmonize with the painting and calligraphy works of the characteristics. Zhou Jiazhu "decorating" contained, "decorating can do, the whole world, only inferior to Wuzhong." "In the Qianlong period, Emperor Gaozong was y appreciative of the calligraphy and paintings of the Song, Yuan, and Ming people in the sea, and he would make the Suzhou workers to decorate." (Qing Dynasty, Qian Yong, Zhang Wei, Cuiyuan Congxue, Volume XII, China Bookstore, 1977) Volume XII", China Bookstore 1979 edition, page 323) In 2011, Su mounting was included in the national "non-heritage" extended project list, is China's valuable artistic heritage.

Lovely Jiayu

? Su mount technology is profound, Fan Guangchou can swim in it, without his dozens of years of obsessive love and hard work. Talking about the relationship with the Suzhou frame, Fan Guangchou will never forget the glimpse on the way home from school. Jiayufang, an ancient street in Suzhou, is an ancient workshop before the Song Dynasty, and Fan Guangchou had to pass by it every day on his way to school. Once, he found a framing store where a gentleman was fiddling with a mutilated painting of a lady. After a few days, Fan Guangchou passed by again, found that the broken figure painting has been intact, glittering, Fan Guangchou secretly marveled, admire. Later, he realized that he met Xie Genbao, the Su framing expert. At the beginning of the art, Fan Guangchou from the Xie master tea, clean store, buy things and other rough work. Three years of apprenticeship, three years to learn the art, three years to thank the master, Fan Guangchou willing to suffer, hardworking people, treating people sincerely. Xie Genbao taught him everything he knows. Fan Guangchou also hard to forget Cao Songqing, Tang Wenbing, Ji Guojun, Wang Liangsheng and other masters of the patient guidance. Cao Songqing combined fan face first-class, famous fan, one or two gold in one fan. He also did not forget for Zhang Daqian framing calligraphy and painting Lian Haiquan and Ma Binghui teacher, these two are famous Xia Pingshan senior. Mr. Li Yongzhen has a great skill in restoring ancient paintings. In the southern winter, it is wet and cold, Fan Guangchou beat the paste of 6 people by himself, took the initiative to help other masters to do odd jobs, and was still in the framing room late at night, savoring the teacher's work during the day, observing the progress, constantly reflecting, and carefully figuring out. The best way to learn the craft is to operate, in order to have more opportunities to cooperate with the teacher, Fan Guangchou hard left-handed, so he can help the teacher in the mounting table across the synchronized assistance, the teacher is very satisfied with the master, and often called him to help. Slowly, Fan Guangchou do more, the teachers also teach more. He is good at studying, learning by example, to improve efficiency, learning to be more and more precise. (See "Memory of Painting - Su mounting national non-genetic inheritance Fan Guangchou talk about art", Suzhou Museum, Wenhui Publishing House, October 2015, 1st edition, 20 pages)

398 pieces put together Shitao's "Plum Blossom Figure"

In the 1960s, General Zhang Jialuo, deputy political commissar of the Nanjing Military Region, came to Suzhou to restore his family's ancient paintings. The restoration of the family heirloom ancient paintings in Suzhou to search for famous artists. Accompanied by Xie Xiaosi, vice chairman of the Suzhou Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, he found Xie Genbao. Knowledgeable Xie Genbao carefully opened the newspaper wrapped with ancient paintings, the crowd gathered around to see, pondering for a long time, not a word ...... It turns out that, due to the long time, poor storage, the ancient paintings have been broken into 398 pieces, a little while later, there are a few masters gently walked away. Before coming to Suzhou, General Zhang sought the national masters were beaten back, holding the idea of the last try again, came to Suzhou. See no one responded, in the corner has not said anything Fan Guangchou gently said: "Master, I see this painting more effort is possible to restore." Xie Genbao pulled up his favorite disciple, walked to the side, "This painting is broken like this, are you sure? How can you explain to the two leaders if you can't fix it." Fan Guangchou nodded with confidence, "Since I dare to take it, I can definitely fix it." Seeing his disciple so sure, Xie Genbao promised General Zhang. Only two requests were made, one was that there should be no rush in time. The second was to ask a famous master to take over the brush and inscription. Xie Genbao gave all the paintings to Fan Guangchou. Fan Guangchou took over the task, carefully observe, follow the trail, after more than half a year of repeated fine rows, uncovering wash, proportion, shape gradually appeared. Xu Shaoqing, Wu Hufan's disciple, took over the pen, and by Shi Ren to make up for the inscription, eight months later, the ink and water "plum blossom" is like a rebirth, the year Fan Guangchou is not yet 30 years old.

No text is not far

? A good framer should not only have solid skills, but also have a deep appreciation of art and painting and calligraphy. Fan Guangchou is well aware that there is a lack of basic knowledge in culture. He subscribed to the "China Heritage News", "Palace Palace Journal", "Calligraphy", "Collector" as soon as he had time to read and learn. Half of the space at home is filled with newspapers and magazines subscribed to over the years. On the other hand, learning painting, enhancement of culture. At that time, many calligraphers and painters would ask Fan Guangchou to frame their paintings, among them, Zhang Jixin, Wu Yangmu and other greats, and he seized the opportunity to ask for advice face to face. Fan Guangchou also often went to see Zhang Daqiang paint, and while watching, he realized and felt. In addition, Fan Guangchou enrolled in night school to learn painting. At that time, Liu Zhenxia, a famous figure painter, taught drawing in the evening school, and Shi Ren, a painter and calligrapher, taught Chinese painting, with Zhang Jixin as the class teacher. Fan Guangchou also came to the Suzhou Academy of Arts and Crafts for further study, learning calligraphy, painting and many other art disciplines, sinking his heart into the hard work of learning to broaden his horizons, aesthetic enhancement, the subtleties of painting and calligraphy more comprehension.

Restoration of calligraphy and painting for Wang Jiqian

? Suzhou Wang Jiqian collectors, painters and scholars in one, living in New York, the collection of rich, for the first Chinese. Painting and calligraphy market, "one into the king's door, three times the price". In the 1990s, Wang Jiqian has a number of ancient paintings and calligraphy need to be remounted and restored, there has been no suitable candidate, introduced by a friend, met Fan Guangchou. After reading some information, Wang Jiqian decided that this batch of precious paintings and calligraphy framing, non-Fan Guangchou. So, he sent a lot of photos of paintings, including Song and Yuan album pages, Ming Dynasty landscape fans, the four Ming masters Tang Yin, Bada Shanren, Ni Zan and other works. Fan Guangchou was moved to be able to restore so many cultural relics, Fan Guangchou was invited to the United States. During the year, Fan Guangchou restored a large number of valuable paintings and calligraphy. Wang Jiqian's collection, as a microcosm of the history of Chinese art, like Tang Yin, Lu Zhi, Cai Yu, these people for Wang Griddle paintings, in the Wang family from generation to generation. The restoration process is also a learning process. Before the formal operation, Wang Jiqian will be repeatedly discussed with Fan Guangchou exchange. Framing process of painting and calligraphy appreciation knowledge has increased greatly, from the paper, from the painting language, aesthetics and management of the layout, can distinguish the difference between ancient and modern, to grasp the authenticity.

Overseas reputation

? As the saying goes, "to play a thousand songs and know the voice, to watch a thousand swords and know the weapon", long years of contact with ancient paintings and calligraphy, Fan Guangchou in practice, gradually refined the extraordinary painting and calligraphy identification skills, on the various dynasties of ancient paper, ancient silk is quite a study. During his stay in the United States, he identified a framed work by Liu Dingzhi. Liu Dingzhi is a painting and calligraphy framing everyone, has been, Wu Hufan's important collection of framing from Liu Dingzhi's hand, at first in suzhou open mounting pool, and then moved to Shanghai, Shanghai, known as "decorating saint" reputation. Xie Genbao once worked in Liu Dingzhi's studio. Because of this complex, Fan Guangchou especially wanted to see Liu Dingzhi's works. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection of "Yellow Valley" scrolls, has been rumored to be framed by Liu Dingzhi, but just can not find the evidence. With years of experience, Fan Guangchou found a small seal engraved with "Liu Dingzhi" in Zhuwen on the scroll. Knowledgeable staff of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, cast a look of admiration. To the United States for a year, Fan Guangchou with exquisite skills, American scholars, artists praise, give "superb artistic talent" reputation. Its superb restoration concept and technology, conquered the world-renowned museums when the family, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Boston Museum have thrown the olive branch, were Fan Guangchou politely refused one by one.

Character over works

? In the 1960s, Wang Liang commissioned Fan Guangchou to create a landscape fan. The work was completed, but Wang Liang was nowhere to be found. The author of the fan Zhang Dazhuang, nephew of Zhang Taiyan, works elegant and beautiful. Half a century has passed, can not find Wang Liang, can not return the work, became a pile of Fan Guangchou heart disease, he asked around, and finally saw the old friend on crutches, perfect and heart of the completion of the consignment, the fan to him. When he learned that Wang Liang did not have his master Tang Yun's painting by his side, Fan Guangchou immediately took out Tang Yun's lotus painting and presented it to him. In today's materialistic world, returning the work entrusted to him 50 years ago is already the most benevolent, but also giving away his collection of bird and flower paintings, people around him said he was silly, "Tang Yun's paintings are already priced at six-figure sums, and you're just going to give them away?" "The fan is entrusted to me framed, return it rightfully, Wang Liang's collection of teacher Tang Yun's paintings lost, I gave him a just let him fulfill his wish, he is Tang Yun's students, how can the students do not have the teacher's paintings it." People who were not familiar with Fan must have thought that Fan must be incredibly wealthy, otherwise how could he be so generous. In fact, Fan Guangchou's family is ordinary, a large part of his salary is spent on buying books and subscribing to newspapers and magazines, a set of more than 80 square feet of the old house, the framing studio occupies one of the largest rooms, the family does not even have a decent bookcases, as far as the eye can see, all the various painting and calligraphy of newspapers and books, in order to send his beloved granddaughter abroad for further study, Fan Guangchou sold his old house. Qiu Zaixing, the founder of Taipei's Fengjia Art Museum, was a close friend of Fan Guangchou's, and knowing that he was going to the United States, he asked someone to give him a thousand dollars for backup. A year later, Fan Guangchou returned home, withdrew the money from the bank and returned it to Qiu Zaixing with interest. Fan Guangchou is known as a great master in the field of Su framing for his skill, humility and sincerity.

The love of Su Bo

The number of people who have mastered the art of "Su mounting" is getting smaller and smaller, and masters like Fan Guangchou, with his profound attainments and noble character, are even rarer. Knowing the importance of mounting for the restoration of paintings and drawings, Zhang Xin and Chen Rui, the two leaders of Su Bo, invited retired Fan Guangchou to preside over the restoration of paintings and drawings in Su Bo. In 2008, Fan Guangchou came to Su Bo, and in ten years, he and his disciples have mounted and restored more than 400 pieces of paintings and calligraphies in Su Bo's collection. 2018, in the "Wu mounting and restoration technique", Fan Guangchou was invited to the Su Bo Museum of Fine Arts and Design to restore paintings and calligraphy. In 2018, in the "Wu mounting wonderful skills a lineage of inheritance" Su mounting restoration technology exhibition, 82-year-old Fan Guangchou and disciples, Yao Yao, Wang Yanni, Zhang Hua, etc. showed the restored works. Since ancient times, framing restorers are the heroes behind the scenes, unknown, but all those who stayed, are to learn from the past and open up the present, the achievement of excellence in everyone. Years and years of buried work, Fan Guangchou was not stirred by the sweeping changes in the outside world, the outside world on his high evaluation, he is not yet adapted to, often said to students, "and then cold technology, focus on doing, but also certainly out of a road." The old man is now the biggest concern, is the inheritance of Su mounting skills, the increase in age, the old man's legs are not as big as before, only one thing in his life, he still maintains a valuable heart, not for the benefit of the inheritance only, "in case I go one day, my hands of the technology, can not disappear ah." In the fate of the tossing and turning years, the old man's dual commitment to life and art, let a person have a deep respect.