Jin Nong was a famous painter of the Qing Dynasty, and because he lived in the three dynasties of Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong, he gave himself a nickname called "Three Dynasties Old People". The implication is that he is a cloth cloth, indifferent by nature, and has no idea of pursuing fame and fortune. This personality can also be seen in his works, such as his like to paint various colors of flowers, with light ink to write freehand, simulating natural beauty.
Jin Nong is a native of Zhejiang, and he became famous in Yangzhou, ranking first among the eight monsters in Yangzhou. Therefore, some people still think that he is a native of Yangzhou and make a lot of jokes. Jinnong specialized in painting after his middle age, and only became a professional painter at the age of 50 or so, earning a living by selling paintings. Therefore, his works do not seek to resemble the shape, but also emphasize the similarity of the gods, through the charm of pen and ink, expressing the beauty of the ancient and simple.
Jinnong's paintings are very personal, not to mention that he uses "lacquer books" to write the style, and the pen and ink and composition alone can make people unforgettable. When it comes to his artistic style, people often use four words to summarize "calligraphy and painting in the same body". Calligraphy and painting are closely related, and it is often said that "calligraphy and painting are of the same origin" as strong evidence. As for the calligraphy and painting homogeneity advocated by Jin Nong, it means that he applied his skills in writing calligraphy to the field of painting and gave his works a golden stone qi.
In the prosperous era of Kangqian, Yangzhou salt merchants, with the accumulation of wealth, had a great interest in art collection. They are different from bureaucrats and aristocrats, preferring fresh works of art. As a painter who sells paintings for a living, he has to consider the market demand, forcing the painter to broaden his horizons and study new forms of expression and methods. The formation of Jinnong's style is also influenced by the background of the times, and his paintings present a new and strange look.
Flowers have a single technique and a short creative time, and many painters specialize in this way in order to support their families. Jinnong's works can stand out thanks to his aesthetic taste and exquisite technique. Zheng Banqiao's proud people all admired Jinnong, he said, "Only Jinnong is good in Hangzhou." "The good thing is, of course, the pen and ink skills, the idea is good.
The flowers and plants commonly found in the countryside were originally not taken seriously, but Jin Nong took them into the paintings and had the power to turn decay into magic. He never cared what the so-called authentic painting method was, he just expressed his understanding. From this point of view, it is very similar to the "I use my method" advocated by Shi Tao. Only by taking materials from nature can we see the true face of things and not be affected by our predecessors.
Jin Nong has a "jerky" feeling with his pen, and cleverly draws the ancient charm. In his later works, this jerky feeling becomes thick and simple, and it can show the tension of life more. Admiring his works, you will associate with challenges and innovations, which at first glance look ordinary and taste endlessly.
Jinnong attaches great importance to blank space and virtual reality in composition, in fact, the two are the same thing. With the blank space, there is the virtual reality. The transformation of ink color and the virtual reality of the picture can make people understand the interest of pen and ink. Jinnong did not deliberately emphasize the tightness of the composition, he just tried to capture the natural taste. No matter how he manages the picture, there is vitality.
In his paintings, one can see his devotion to art. He did paint for life, but his ideals were not bound by life. Admiring Jinnong's paintings, we can see his desire for innovation and his thinking about the taste of pen and ink.