Editor's Note:
"Chronicle of Painting" states, "Painting is the ultimate expression of literature." Both "literature" and "painting" complement each other and can truly be regarded as the "pillars of art," as it has been since ancient times. Wu Guanzhong's paintings and writings shine together, serving as a model for all.
The theme of this issue is "Spring Snow." In Wu Guanzhong's brushwork, the gently falling spring snow blankets the earth in shades of ink, creating a silvery landscape. After the snow, the land is intertwined in black and white, exuding charm, blending reality and illusion, and instantly blooming with abstract beauty. Let us immerse ourselves in these poetic paintings of varying moods and savor the pristine beauty of a snowy spring scene.
"Spring Snow" Themed Work
Wu Guanzhong, Spring Snow in the Daba Mountains, 1983, ink and color on xuan paper, 70 x 140 cm, collection of the National Art Museum of China
On plain white rice paper, a few drops of ink—some thick, some light—capture the snow of the earth, the snowy scene, and the sentiment of snow. I have seen Jade Dragon Snow Mountain under the moonlight, its entire body gleaming white, like glimpsing Susan bathing. In spring, at Daba Mountain, a sudden heavy snowfall transformed the universe; mountains high and low were enveloped in vast whiteness. Spring snow arrives fiercely and melts quickly; as it stops, black patches swiftly appear on the mountains, growing into a mottled leopard pattern—a unique visual beauty, like an outstanding abstract painting, but fleeting. At the foot of the Himalayas, I look up to see only a dazzling crystal palace, so bright my eyes can hardly stay open; without sunglasses, I cannot fully appreciate it. Plains, river valleys, small bridges, and flowing streams... when snow falls, they are draped in white, each revealing a pure, fresh beauty. Snowscapes are timeless favorites in photography and painting. I have painted many snows of the wilderness and courtyards; though all snow is white, each has a distinct mood and artistic conception. This work, "Spring Snow", focuses on the flowing rhythm and the slow transformation between void and form.
—— Wu Guanzhong
Related Works:
Wu Guanzhong, Spring Snow in Ba Mountain, 1985, ink and color on rice paper, 70 × 140 cm
Wu Guanzhong, Spring Snow at Fragrant Hill, 1990, sketch with color (markers and watercolor), 24 × 58 cm
Wu Guanzhong, Spring Snow, 1979, oil on canvas, 135 × 85 cm, Collection of the National Museum of China
Wu Guanzhong, Spring Snow, 1996, oil on canvas, 30 × 59 cm, Collection of Tsinghua University Art Museum
Wu Guanzhong, Spring Snow, 1982, ink and color on rice paper, 70 × 70 cm
Wu Guanzhong, Spring Snow at Fragrant Hills, 1990, ink and color on rice paper, 68 x 136 cm
Wu Guanzhong, Spring Snow, 1990, ink and color on rice paper, 70 × 140 cm, Collection of Hong Kong Museum of Art
Wu Guanzhong, Spring Snow in the Taihang Mountains, 1991, ink and color on rice paper, 70 x 140 cm
Wu Guanzhong, Spring Snow (I), 1996, ink and color on rice paper, 70 × 140 cm, Collection of Tsinghua University Art Museum
Wu Guanzhong, Spring Snow (II), 1996, ink and color on rice paper, 124 × 248 cm
