Description 雙犬戲雪圖 Pair of Dogs Playing in Snow
款識:庚子春日山東喻仲林寫於麗水精舍。
鈐印:喻氏(白文)、仲林(朱文)
Signed Yu Chung-Lin in Chinese
With two seals of the artist
花鳥是喻仲林常見的描繪對象,以動物為主題的作品鮮有記錄,從藝術家的個人出版冊卻只有兩幅以狗為核心的畫作。據研究了解,此畫以稀有雙犬雪景為主體,作於絹本,屬藝術家親切的兒時回憶,對於藝術家與家人備有更深層的含意。
喻仲林自幼失去雙親,依附娘舅,許氏家族書香門第,外公許公瑗在民國年初擔任重要政職,舅舅許以浩及許宗海均是重要的革命家及出色的寫意花鳥畫家,當時的許氏家族已享有盛名。喻仲林雖然缺乏父母的照顧,卻在許氏家族位於山東的梅莊得到無盡的愛與歡樂,梅莊可說是一個孕育這位藝術家的搖籃。在藝術發展上,得舅舅許宗海的啟蒙,加上個人領悟性強及不懈的臨摹練習,不管是花鳥畫或鞋頭上的描圖,年幼的喻仲林已展示濃厚的興趣及非凡的才華。
自1949年抵台,喻仲林延續對藝術的熱情,閒餘於台北師範大學美術系旁聽,後師從金勤伯,正式展開其藝術生涯,並與胡念祖、孫家勤二人開創「麗水精舍」。喻仲林的畫作忠於宋代工院體畫講求「盡物性」,先行格物,透過細微的觀察、精巧的工筆、鮮明的色彩,體現自然的靈動野趣。作畫時,喻仲林常常代入角色情景,幻想自己為小鳥自由自在跳躍於花叢中,因此更能讓動物的神韻躍現於畫面,為一筆一劃賦予生命力。
此畫背景坐落於凜冽的寒冬,大雪紛飛的場景,好比藝術家的家鄉山東。畫中兩隻小狗無懼寒冬戲雪,小狗以淡墨渲染,用精巧的細筆勾畫厚茸毛,再於腳上以撞粉法沒骨抹上一層薄薄的白雪,營造冰雪的立體感。褐狗雖凝視觀者,卻彷彿更陶醉於抓癢;另一隻黑狗卻被氣味吸引,蓄勢待發向前探索。畫面捕捉兩隻幼狗樂在其中的情景,若以幼狗比喻幼年的喻仲林,藝術家彷彿利用此畫帶領觀者感受在梅莊與親戚嬉戲歡樂的時光。
Flowers and birds are common objects of depiction in Yu Chung-Lin's paintings, while animals are less common. From records, there were only two paintings of dogs by the artist. Further research shows that this painting on silk of dogs with a snowy background hints to an intimate childhood memory of the artist. Hence this work carries paramount importance to the artist and the family.
After losing both parents, Yu Chung-Lin lived with his mother's relatives, the Hsu family with a profound background in literature. His grandfather Hsu Gong-Yuan was an important official during the Republican Period and his uncles Hsu Yi-Hao and Hsu Zong-Hai were important figures in the revolution and in Flower-and-Bird art. Despite his loss in his early childhood, Yu Chung-Lin received profound love and care from the House of Cherry Blossoms in Shandong. This House provided a cradle for Yu in his artistic career, under the revelations from his uncle Hsu Zong-Hai and Yu's relentless effort in observation and practice. From graphics on his shoes to Flower-and-Bird paintings, Yu displayed extraordinary talent and passion towards art in his early childhood.
Since his arrival in Taiwan from 1949, Yu reignited his passion for art by attending lectures after work at the National Taiwan Normal University, and later followed Jin Qin-Bo, thus starting his artistic career. He started Li Shui Art Studio with Hu Nian-Zu and Sun Jia- Qin. Yu followed the Song School of gongbi by focusing primarily on realistic approaches including observations, meticulous strokes and bright colours. During his painting, he would imagine himself as one of the chirping birds hopping freely among the flowers. This enabled him to accurately paint the character of each bird.
This work is situated in a harsh winter with heavy snow, similar to the winters of Shandong, the homeland of Yu Chung-Lin. Two dogs are playing happily on the snow. The dogs were painted in light ink and finest strokes to depict its thick fur. A fine layer of white was applied on the dog's paws to enhance a realistic depiction of snow. The brown dog stares mindlessly at the viewer with one paw scratching the body. The other black dog is attracted by the smell and marches eagerly towards it. The work depicts the joy of two playful dogs, as if the artist himself invited the audience to join the fun of his childhood at the House of Cherry Blossoms.
Dimensions 114.5 x 35.5 cm
Artist or Maker YU CHUNG-LIN (Taiwanese, 1925-1985)
Medium 水墨 設色 絹本 鏡框 Ink and colour on silk, framed
Date 1960
Exhibited 「工緻典麗:喻仲林88 花鳥畫紀念展」,國立歷史博物館,台北,展期2012年1月14日至2012年2月28日 "Elegance and Grace: A Memorial Exhibition of Flower and Bird Paintings by Yu Chung-Lin", National Museum of History, Taipei, 14 January, 2012 - 28 February, 2012
Literature 《工緻典麗:喻仲林88 花鳥畫紀念集》,國立歷史博物館,台北,2012年1月出版,頁212-213 Elegance and Grace: A Commemorative Collection of Flower and Bird Paintings by Yu Chung-Lin, National Museum of History, Taipei, January, 2012, pp. 212-213
Provenance 直接得自藝術家家屬 Acquired directly from the artist's family