"Every poem has a painting, every painting a poem." This quotation was used by Chinese literati to praise the works of the great T'ang dynasty poet Wang Wei. In general, it is an apt observation of Chinese art as well. Chinese artists since the T'ang Dynasty (618 A.D.), have brought classic passages from literature to life as paintings.
The pictured painting is entitled "Enjoying a spring evening in Li Po's garden," (Ch'un yeh yen t'ao Li yuan). The artist, Leng Mei, was a court painter, during the reign of the Ching dynasty emperor K'ang Hsi (1662-1722).
This painting is one of the best examples of the art-from-literature school of painting. Leng Mei's inspiration for this work was a short essay written by the immortalized T'ang poet Li Po (701-762 A.D.). In this short essay, Li Po captures the beauty and joy of a spring evening spent with friends. In just over a hundred characters Li describes a merry world of wine and song, and sets a tone of underlying sadness with imagery of spring's brief tenure.
Brought to life in paints, Leng Mei's work not only combines the classic elements of traditional Chinese painting, such as the use of background mountains and winding rivers, but also introduces an element of realism through the artists use of human figures. Using clearly defined colors and precise strokes, Li Po's vision of a timeless spring night full of merriment and mirth, of friends laughing and singing while reclined under the gently swaying branches of the garden trees, is brought to life.
Leng Mei is just one example of the traditional Chinese "court painter." This school of painting, while at times the subject of criticism, has made some important contributions to both Chinese art and history. While some may argue that the court painter was merely a slave to the emperor's demands, his legacy of paintings are an exceptional record of the life and times in ancient China. Each painting is an accurate depiction of the way people dressed, the architecture and the customs and traditions of the period. While the above painting is drawn from one T'ang dynasty essay, it is also a representation of life in Ching dynasty China.
Therefore, whether one is interested in the history of the period, or just wants to capture the mood of spring, the painting, "Enjoying a spring evening in Li Po's garden," is well worth a trip to the National Palace Museum.
(Gerald Hatherly)
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