Chapter 1076 Wen Zhengming’s postscript
The pigments and inks used in calligraphy and painting works are the crystallization of the wisdom of the predecessors. They contain colloids and spices, which prevent moths, and secondly, the color penetrates deep into the fiber and will not be absorbed when exposed to water. Discoloration and smudging occur.
But there are no absolutes. If there is a problem with the solvent used, such as the pH exceeding the critical value, this may also happen.
After taking a closer look, Zhou Zhi’s anxious heart finally relaxed. After careful observation, it turned out that it was not the blurring in the picture, but... under Li Fangying’s painting, the center of the painting was supported. At the bottom, there are ink marks on the paper known in jargon as "life paper".
This explains the reason why the painting was so heavily framed and the damage after many years was more serious than that of the painting of the same period - it is two overlapping paintings!
"Now we're in trouble..." Zhou Zhi felt numb, having never encountered such a situation before.
The first step in the normal restoration process of calligraphy and painting is to spread the painting, pour it with boiling water to soften it and dissolve the glue, and then remove the old mounting around it.
Then use a handkerchief to roll away the dust and stains on the painting core, and further remove the paste so that the painting core and mounting can be separated.
Then spread a piece of clean white paper on the painting, spray it wet and turn it over to remove the mounting and life paper.
Because there is a piece of ordinary white paper as the substrate, and this paper is in direct contact with the center of the painting, it is equivalent to controlling the life of the center of the painting, so it is called "life paper".
The method of removing old life paper is very simple and crude. You can just tear it off with tweezers, pick it with a toothpick, or rub it with your fingers. It is all waste paper anyway. The principle is to remove it cleanly and not damage the painting.
But this trick obviously won't work now, because the life sheet itself is still a painting, and it is probably a precious painting, otherwise it would not be covered up with a masterpiece of Li Fangying.
He took a piece of white paper and put it on the painting, sprayed some water with a spray bottle to moisturize it, and Zhou Zhi started to call for help.
“Hello, which one?” A familiar Jiachuan dialect sounded on the other end of the phone.
"Fourth cousin, I am an elbow."
"Elbow, why did you change your phone number again?"
"I also set up a studio here. This is the phone number of the studio. It's not cool to always do private work in an ancient book restoration institute. I don't know. You think I'm stealing something."
"Hahaha, I have such concerns. I can't be too cautious. What's going on, the rush is here?"
"How dare you," Zhou Zhi said with a smile, "The people over there are all precious, just work slowly and do your job carefully."
"Elbow, are you in trouble?" The fourth aunt's voice also rang, probably because the fourth uncle pressed the speakerphone button.
"Fourth Aunt, have you and Fourth Uncle ever encountered this kind of situation, that is, using calligraphy and painting as fortune-telling cards."
"Do you think you are using newspapers to paper the walls during the holidays? And you even repaint them. There’s no such thing as that.” The fourth cousin thought it was impossible: “If it were to be done like this, the painting would probably be average, right?”
"I've met it now." Zhou Zhi smiled bitterly: "Li Fangying's "Moumei Tu" can't be said to be average, right?"
"Li Jieyuan?" Fourth aunt asked: "His painting It became a sandwich?”
“No, his painting is the center of the painting, and the sandwich is another one.”
"Whose is the sandwich?"
"Well, I can't see clearly now."
"How about you send the painting back first, and your aunt and I will try to figure it out? ." said the fourth cousin.
"It's late, because there is something unusual about this painting, and I'm a little curious." Zhou Zhi told him what he had just discovered with some trepidation: "So... it has been framed... and now the painting It's sitting on the workbench wetly. ""You!" The fourth cousin said a little annoyed: "Since you find that this painting is different from other paintings, why don't you study it carefully before doing it?"
"What's the use of what you're talking about now." The fourth aunt said at the side: "Elbow, how about we follow the normal procedure and remove the mounting around the center of the painting first, then put the supporting paper, and then turn it over and remove the mounting, leaving only Draw the heart and life paper and see what’s on the life paper.”
“That’s right,” said Fourth Cousin: “Look at the center of the painting when the time comes. After it’s wet, you can always see some clues through the paper.”
“Okay, Fourth Cousin. Uncle, I heard that there is a method of ancient painting, which is to peel off the painting." Zhou Zhi asked, "Okay. Painting papers are usually made of multiple layers. Experts can separate them and turn one painting into several, and they are still authentic. Is there such a thing?"
"Yes? "That's it," the fourth cousin said, "but that's for a contemporary work, and the paper is complete. There's nothing wrong with doing it if it's tough. "
"But this is an ancient painting. The paper of the ancient painting is old and fragile, so it's not easy to peel it off. You can do it as your aunt said, and then we'll do it. Think about whether there is any better way.”
"Okay, I'll call you when I'm done."
Hang up the phone, Zhou Zhi found that he was no longer as scared as he was just now.
It is like a child who has done something wrong and has been forgiven by his parents. The parents also agreed to help make up for the losses caused by the mistake. Although the specific method has not been stated yet, he is inexplicably more thoughtful. Stock confidence.
People are calmer, their minds are calm, and their hands are steady.
Re-open the cover paper, rinse it with boiling water, and use a towel roll to roll it from the center to all sides. Let the stains and dust on the painting flow to the outside of the workbench with the water pressure, and the center of the painting will gradually become cleaner. Become clear.
Li Fangying's works are bold and bold, dripping with ink, thick heads and random clothes, and informal ink. Later generations commented that his brushstrokes were "intended between ivy, white sun, and bamboo."
Qingteng is Xu Wei, Xu Wenchang, and Bai Yang is Chen Chundaofu. These two people created the freehand brushwork in Chinese painting almost at the same time, and their influence on later generations was extremely profound.
Zhuhan is Zheng Banqiao, who calls himself "the lackey of Qingteng" and is also the successor of the freehand brushwork.
And Li Fangying's painting of plum blossoms is also a freehand work. The wind is thin and hard, the old stems and new branches are curved on the sides, and the calligraphy skills are profound and exquisite.
Carefully remove the frame, brush the supporting paper carefully, turn the painting over, and begin to remove the frame.
With the support of his elders, he didn't feel panic. Zhou Zhi returned to his master's style in a blink of an eye, removing the framed clothes quickly and accurately. After a while, a large six-page album appeared in front of Zhou Zhi's eyes.
In other words, Li Fangying's picture is a large painting, but underneath the big painting, there are actually six small paintings.
On both sides of the six small paintings, there are three articles with small characters. Although they are still backwards, the handwriting of one of them is extremely familiar to Zhou Zhi. It is Wen Zhengming who he has copied for a long time. !
Wen Zhengming wrote the postscript! The paintings below are all from the Ming Dynasty at least!
The remaining six paintings all have seals on them, and three of them have signatures.
Two articles were also printed, but not signed.
Zhou Zhi found a mirror, adjusted the words back to normal through the principle of reflection, and then used the mirror to interpret the words.
Read Wen Zhengming’s article first.
Tao Fu traveled to Yumen and gained the reputation of being good at being a master. The genius has beautiful hair, and his strokes are extraordinary, especially wonderful sketches. One flower and half a leaf, the light ink is bold, sparse and slanted, but it is aggressive and lifelike, moving the crowd. Minangong, Wang Shuming and Huang Zijiu, the masters of landscape painting, did not imitate their imitation, but their relaxed and leisurely style was clearly visible in their eyes. I am a master in the industry. Qu has his own way of painting and calligraphy, and he is not my disciple.
This article indicates that the owner of the painting is Wen Zhengming's apprentice. However, he is praised as being good at original creation, independent of his own family, and "the one who excels in his work".
Wen Zhengming modestly said that he could only be regarded as the person who led him in. His teachers were Mi Fu, Wang Meng, and Huang Gongwang, so I cannot call him a disciple.
(End of this chapter)