Fan Painting by Famous Ming Dynasty Painter Wen Jia (1501-1583)
明代名畫家文嘉 (1501一1583）扇畫
Wen Jia [Wen Chia; zi Xiuzheng, hao Wenshui]
(b Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, 1501; d Suzhou, 1583). Painter and calligrapher, son of (1) Wen Zhengming part of the Wen family. He received a formal classical education and benefited from contact with the learned associates of his father. He succeeded in passing the local xiucai (first degree) examinations and was appointed gongsheng (tribute student). He did not pass the provincial juren (second degree) examinations and had an undistinguished government career. A highly cultured gentleman, Wen Jia was a member of the third generation of the WU SCHOOL, and his early works show the profound influence of his father. His activity as a calligrapher was overshadowed by the greater reputation of his older brother Wen Peng (1498–1573), who practised the full range of script types: seal (zhuanshu), clerical (lishu), regular (kaishu) and cursive (caoshu). The two brothers were lively participants in Suzhou literati life, often collaborating on projects that combined painting, poetry and calligraphy. Together they compiled the Tingyun guan tie, an anthology of calligraphy published in 1560.
The Wen family
Chinese family of artists. The Wen family formed the core of the Wu school artists active in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, during the 16th century. They were descended from a prominent family, which since the Song period (960–1279) had produced distinguished scholars and officials. The most talented among them was (1) Wen Zhengming, who personally tutored his two sons, Wen Peng (1498–1573) and (2) Wen Jia, and his nephew (3) Wen Boren. Wen Peng (1489–1573) was a calligrapher and advisor to the collector Xiang Yuanbian. He also collaborated with his younger brother Jia on painting, poetry and calligraphy projects.
文嘉 (1501一1583) p. 38
[明] 字休承，號文水、文水道人。長洲(今蘇州)人，文徵明仲子。以諸生久次貢，授烏程訓導，擢和州（今安徽和縣）學正。由於家學淵源加上敏而好學，文嘉在繼承其父書畫衣缽的同時學古通今，因而在明代中期吳門畫派中佔有重要一席。擅畫山水，兼能花卉。山水筆法得倪瓚清脫之意，間仿王蒙皴染，亦頗秀潤。亦擅書法，然書法不及其繪畫成就高。明人王世貞評：“其書不能如兄，而畫得待詔（文徵明）一體。”，詹景鳳亦雲：“嘉小楷輕清勁爽,宛如瘦鶴,稍大便疏散不結束，徑寸行書亦然，皆不逮父。”雖然文嘉在藝術面貌上不及其父和乃兄，沒有成為開宗立派的大家，然而他在藝術上的造詣十分精深，涉獵甚廣。王世懋在《跋文嘉書古詩十九首》後稱：“休承晚年書奇進，幾不減京兆（祝允明）。亦工石刻 ，為有明一代之冠。好作詩，著有《和州詩》。精於鑒別古書畫，著有《鈐山堂書畫記》等。卒年八十三。傳世作品有故宮博物院藏《仿董源溪山行旅圖》軸及南京博物院藏《停琴聽阮圖》軸等。
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