Description: 釋文：空翠 款識：丙辰五月，茮原江兆申畫。 鈐印：江兆申（白文）、茮原（朱文） Signed CHIANG CHAO-SHEN in Chinese With two seals of the artist 江兆申此作《墨荷》脫胎自徐渭墨荷的騁筆功力與張大千畫荷的潑墨寫意，張大千於1978年返臺定居於外雙溪，時與在故宮任職的江兆申來往甚密，除了談論古書名畫之外，更在水墨創作上多有請益，張大千墨荷聞名於世，喜用濕筆、最重荷葉荷梗，曾言大幅的荷花枝幹都是兩筆完成「一筆從上至下，另一筆從下至上，兩筆自然接榫。」可窺其筆力之深厚。 直幅畫作由中下處深至上端淺，水墨淋漓磅礡，荷葉荷花幾乎佔滿畫幅；左前方水草枝葉以側鋒用筆、效果毛澀變化豐富，頗新耳目；荷枝枯澀一筆寫就、由上而下，蒼勁沉著卻不浮，宛如聳立於水中央，頓挫有勢中可知江氏書法造詣之深厚。卓然飄逸的巨型荷葉則以墨色渲染繪成，墨色濃淡、層次搭配豐富，葉脈則以掠、磔筆法揮就；荷花以渴筆擦出形態，或含苞或綻放，筆墨酣暢，疏密有致，用筆豪放大氣，神韻天成；畫面精到之處在於荷花掩映於荷葉之後，彷彿在風中搖曳生姿。所謂「風吹荷葉十八變」，畫荷難於落筆無悔、無法重描，倚仗的是畫者的才氣與靈性，荷花濯清漣而不妖，寓有孤傲於世之意，不奢世人瞭解，但求紅塵知音一人。 This work could be compared with brushwork used by Xu Wei and Zhang Daqian's splashed ink. Zhang stayed in 1978 and was close to Chiang Chao-Shen during his job at the National Palace Museum. To draw lotus, Zhang used wet brush and dense ink. He once mentioned that ink lotus could be made with two brushstrokes: one downwards to bottom, one upwards from the bottom. This shows his superb control of the brush. The tone of this painting in full frame, varied from top to bottom. Slanted brush was used for weeds, creating varieties in their forms. Lotus stems were drawn in one stroke. This movement could be credited to Chiang's practice in calligraphy. Huge lotus leaves are light, depicted with different shades of ink. Veins were drawn with quick strokes. The various forms of flowers were sketched from dried brush, matched by bold brushwork and extraordinary skills. Movement of the lotus was depicted. Such majestic lotus paintings are unique to the artist's character and skills. Lotus stands for abstinence from distraction, and this painting directly suggests the ascetic life of the artist.
