Xiao Yuncong was a famous painter in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, and the early Qing painting master Hongren was deeply influenced by him in his creations. Because Hongren's fame is slightly larger, some people mistakenly think that Xiao Yun learned from Hongren, but in fact Xiao Yuncong is the teacher. Xiao Yun likes to sketch geometric shapes of mountain stones from painting landscapes, like piles of wood. In fact, this kind of geometric landscape painting is a fresh form that has not appeared in the works of previous generations.
Some scholars have examined that Xiao Yun drew nourishment from woodcut prints and painted unique landscapes. Some scholars believe that Xiao Yun formed a unique painting language based on daily observations in the process of from the tradition of teaching to the creation of the teaching method. There is some truth in both of these statements, and as an ordinary appreciator, there is no need to discuss advanced theories, or to talk about Xiao Yuncong's painting style according to the works.
Xiao Yun from the empty pavilion pine wind
"Empty Pavilion Pine Wind" is Xiao Yun's later work, representing his final understanding of geometric landscape painting. It is difficult to verify when and where the earliest landscape paintings appeared, and the mountains that appear in the Dunhuang murals are only hooked and not stained. Probably until the five dynasties of the late Tang Dynasty, there was a mature dyeing technique. Since then, the creation techniques and modes of landscape painting have had a symbolic appearance.
While Xiao Yuncong inherited the tradition, he felt that the expressiveness of the dye was quite strong, but the styling technique needed to be perfected. He started with the mountain stone structure, artistically treated it, and had a geometric shape of the stone. He uses endless ink colors to paint the volume of stones, enriching the expressiveness of points, lines and surfaces.
Xiao Yun from the empty pavilion pine wind local
The mountain stone circle in "Empty Pavilion Pine Wind" is square, full of the beauty of rigidity and softness. In order to highlight the sense of quiet and deep space and make up for the lack of mountains and forests, he painted an ancient pine in the close-up view. The pine trees increase the stability of the composition, contrasting with the intricate rubbing of the rocks in the background, re-emphasizing the spatial structure.
The tone of "Empty Pavilion Pine Wind" is quiet and secluded, the color is calm and thick, and the composition is magnificent, these details are common in the works of predecessors, Xiao Yun has found a new way of expression, resulting in unexpected beauty.
Looking at the straight lines in the painting, the subtle dyeing, feel the coldness and ease of Xiao Yun's expression. In their creation, the ancients realized that the creation of the master method is the supreme method for creating landscape paintings, and then put forward the proposition that "heaven and earth are my teachers". Under this influence, there were landscape paintings that used pen and ink to express emotions. Xiao Yuncong's works are no exception, he constructs a fresh visual experience that simulates the spirituality of real mountains and real waters, so his works will not feel difficult to accept.
Of course, Xiao Yun's brisk strokes have also added a lot to his works. With the help of the ancient pen and ink techniques, form their own style, combine stylized techniques with real-life sketching, and have a new artistic conception revealed in "Empty Pavilion Pine Wind".
The peaks and peaks are stacked, thousands of rocks and valleys, is the Song people's landscape meteorological, the shape of the mountain stone in the circle is Xiao Yun's personal characteristics, the two complement each other, so that the viewer can feel the magnificent momentum of the landscape in the painting.