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Published on2020-10-16Views:2
Lotus
Artwork Analysis
A painting of ink-wash summer lotus by Ren Bo-Wu (1914-1999). Painter’s inscription: "Ru-Yu in Jing-Yin Attic, Midsummer, Year of Xin Wei." Name seal: "Sramana Ben-Hui" (intaglio).
The painter painted several branches of summer-day lotus with upright stems, standing parallel to one another, sparse yet dense, dark yet light; the flowers and leaves disperse distantly and closely, at the top and bottom alike, rendering a sense of rhythm reminiscent of the dance of musical notes. Of the three cloud-like lotus leaves, one is painted with dark ink, and the other two are brushed with light ink, which renders natural patterns as a result of skim dyeing and ink spreading, rich in gradation. The lotus leaf with a slightly curved stem on the left is portrayed in a side view, leaning to the left, rendering a nuance of change among the upright stems. Among the lotus flowers, one is in bud, another in full bloom—the petals of both are outlined with charred ink, and the lotus to the right has produced a lotus seedpod. The large lotus leaves, lotus flowers, and lotus seedpod on the painting’s right side stand parallel to the leaning lotus leaf, forming a diagonal composition. Purely painted with ink and wash, this painting features a lotus pond with the surface left blank, the leaves and stems seemingly suspended in the air. They are positioned to appear to interlace each other. Although the composition is simple and unpolished, the mastery of lines and variations speaks for the painter’s calligraphy skill. Summer-day lotuses in black and white against a backdrop of "blankness" evoke an imagery of Zen-like vacuity.
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Last updated on2024-03-28