PARTS OF AN ARTWORK REUNITED IN TW
When the great Yuan Dynasty artist Huang Gongwang completed his magnum opus in 1350, he could barely imagine what kind of journey this artwork would go through.
The scroll painting, titled "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains," portrays the landscape along the Fuchun River in Zhejiang, where Huang spent years traveling around in his eighties.
Widely regarded as a masterpiece of Chinese literati painting, the art piece brilliantly captured the beauty of the river bank scenery, and has not lost one bit of its magnificence even after six centuries.
"This part depicts that mountain peak.
The peak over there.
Then it goes all the way
Down to the bay,
The 'Fuchun Bay'
Then look at this part.
It represents that hill.
It's a famous hill here in Fuyang."
In the late Ming Dynasty, the scroll was acquired by art collector Wu Zhi-ju, who later passed it down to his son, Wu Hong-yu. The younger Wu loved the painting so much that shortly before his death in 1650, he decided to have the art work incinerated in the hope of carrying it with him to the next life.
Fortunately, his nephew saved the scroll from the flames, but damage had already been done.
A 0.5-meter-long section, which would later be called "The Remaining Mountain," was separated from the main part as a result.
When the ROC government moved to Taiwan in 1949, it brought the main part of the painting, called "The Master Wuyoung Scroll," to the island as well, while "The Remaining Mountain" remained in Zhejiang.
But thanks to warming cross-strait relations in recent years, the two separate parts of Huang's masterwork finally gets the chance to be reunited after 361 years.
Starting June first, both parts of the painting have been on display here in Taipei in a special exhibition organized by the National Palace Museum with the help of the Zhejiang Provincial Museum.
Barry Lin, head of the Quanta Culture and Education Foundation, is among the exhibition's key sponsors, and he pointed out the historical significance of the event in a speech during the opening ceremony."Emperor Chien-lung
has an interesting habit.
Calligraphy and paintings
are his favorite.
He likes to put a stamp on
his favorite artworks,
saying 'for my descendents.'
He hoped that these artworks
will forever be in the
possession of his family.
But hardly could he expect
that these great works
now not only belong to
everyone in China and Taiwan,
but to all humanity."
Inspired by the compelling backstory of the painting, award-winning lyricist, Vincent Fang, even wrote a song to mark the occasion.
"I printed out copies of
both parts of the scroll
And while the music was playing,
I looked at the painting,
trying to get the 'feel' of it.
The melody was composed first,
and then I added the lyrics."
While the story of this great art work will keep unfolding, it has at least reached a happy ending of a long and tortuous chapter.
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