Three Ancient Poems in Cursive Script by Chen Chun

Three Ancient Poems in Cursive Script c. 1535

ink-on-paper

word art style

hand-lettering

lettering

hand drawn type

hand lettering

ink-on-paper

word art

hand-drawn typeface

calligraphic

china

doodle art

calligraphy

small lettering

This hanging scroll by Chen Chun, a prominent calligrapher of the Ming dynasty, showcases the art of cursive script. The work, "Three Ancient Poems in Cursive Script," c. 1535, features three poems written in a flowing, expressive style. The brushstrokes, bold and dynamic, convey the artist's mastery of the calligraphic form, revealing the beauty of Chinese characters as they are written. The delicate balance of ink and paper creates a sense of both strength and refinement, showcasing the calligrapher's skill and the poetic spirit of the poems. This piece exemplifies the enduring tradition of Chinese calligraphy as an art form that combines aesthetics and literary expression.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Chen Chun, one of the most important Ming dynasty calligraphers and flower painters, was born into a modestly prosperous literati family. His first teacher was the great literatus, Wen Zhengming (1470-1559), and between 1519 and 1523 he studied at the Imperial Academy in Beijing. While initially influenced by the writing style of Wen Zhengming, Chen quickly developed a personal approach based more on the calligraphy of the ancient masters Mi Fu (1051-1107) and Yang Ningshi (873-954). His running and cursive scripts (Cao-shu) for which he is most famous display characteristic fluidity, boldness, and exuberance. The frontispiece to the handscroll is written by Chen's friend and teacher Wen Zhengming, leader of the Wu school. Wen's four-character title reads:Pai Yang (Chen Chun) the sage of cursive scriptIn these three ancient poems Chen writes with the exuberant fluidity that made him, along with Zhu Yunming (1461-1527) and Wen Zhengming, one of the most important Ming masters of Cao-shu script.