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Su
Han-ch'en was a native of K'ai-feng, Honan, who specialized in painting
Buddhist and Taoist figures. During the Hsuan-ho era (1119-1125) under
Emperor Hui-tsung of the Northern Sung, he was a Painter-in-Attendance at
the imperial academy. After the court moved south, Su resumed his position
there, and, in the early Lung-hsing era (1163-1164) of Emperor Hsiao-tsung,
he was praised for his Buddhist paintings, earning the title
"Gentleman of Trust."
In
figure painting, the representation of children is recognized as one of
the most difficult, especially in achieving that elusive quality of
naivete. Su Han-ch'en was a master of observation and description who knew
that children at play are in a state of natural ease. His ability to
capture the spirit and appearance of such children made him the most
renowned painter in this genre.
Using
a deft brush and delicate colors, Su has conveyed the quality of children
concentrating on play. These lively, adorable figures appear in a garden
setting that bears blossoms of hibiscus and chrysanthemums, symbols fully
conveying the sense of an autumn day. This work shows a boy and girl
playing a game called spinning dates. Completely intent on their game,
their attitudes are most natural. On the ground and the round garden stool
nearby are fine toys (such as a game board, miniature pagoda, and a pair
of cymbals). In the garden, an ornamental T'ai-hu rock dominates the
composition. Every detail in this work is precisely delineated, making it
one of Su's surviving masterpieces.
Since
the game that the children are playing here is associated with northern
China (combined with the fact that the realism relates to the court style
of the Northern Sung), this work may have been done when Su was still
working under Emperor Hui-tsung.
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