Flower, Plant and Insects Fan Painting by Famous Guandgong Painter Rong Zu-chun (1872-1942)
當代廣東名畫家容祖椿(1872一1942)花草蟲扇畫
Rong Zu-chun (1872-1942)
A native of Dongguan of Guangdong. zhi Zhong Sheng, hao Zi An, later changed to Yuan Sou. As a true disciple, he studied under Ju Lian (1828-1904), the founder of Kak Shan Honan School or School Kuis, for over 10 years. His artworks were easily identifiable as the ones belonging to the School of the Kuis.
When he was young, Ron was already brilliant and had a very good memory. As he was a close classmate of Wu Yi Zhuang (1854-1927), he was privileged to study many treasured collections in Wu's house as well as those in the other four richest families in Guangzhou. as a result, his painting techniques advanced greatly.
Ron was not only eminent in painting flowers, birds, bees and butterflie, but also in portraying fair ladies and other characters and in painting landscapes. He contributed greatly in promoting the art of the School of Kuis.
Ron served as a painting teacher in the Provincial Middle School and three private schools in Guangzhou. He was a senior member of Qing You Club, a painting club. He often visited the Temple of Six Banyan Trees in Guangzhou to practise painting. When Canton was captured by the Japanese army, Ron fled to Hong Kong. Later he set up a painting studio to teach painting. Meanwhile, he also taught painting in two others schools. He also made joint painting works with his close painting friends. Unfortunately, Hong Kong was also captured by the Japanese at the end of 1941. Therefore Ron returned to Guangzhou and died there in 1942 at the age of 71.
容祖椿 (1872-1942)
廣東東莞人。字仲生，名祖椿，號自庵，晚號圓叟，東官人，家貧，幼遭父喪，孤苦無告，後得父執張惠田之薦，隨居古泉(廉)習畫，古泉閔其無依，給以衣食，待如子姪，仲生深感師恩，承侍甚謹，值自撫身世，益自奮勵，無敢稍事荒嬉，往往焚膏繼晷，深宵不輟，古泉嘉其好學，時於人前稱許之。
古泉有弟子伍懿莊(德彝)，廣州鉅家之後，昔時州中有四大望族人稱曰潘、盧、伍、葉者，以經營洋務致富，每好藉風雅自躋於文史之林，於是爭以搜藏珍玩與古今名人書畫相矜尚，懿莊藉先人餘蔭，更思有以發揚光大之。以習畫故，於名家手蹟，搜羅視話家為盛，於其同門中，尤與仲生友善，恆招使聯床於其所居曰萬松園中，不吝所珍，與俱觀摩，仲生又藉懿莊之介，得以遍觀諸鉅家所藏。閱歷既多，見聞益遠，萬松園擅花木亭館之勝，騷人畫客，多萃止焉，以遨以遊，作畫行觴，各隨所好。每有清集，仲生必廁身其間，仲生好飲，不必多飲，飲多必醉，醉後不勝，則又揮亳不輟，醉筆尤佳也，於是眾樂，仲生亦樂，因有以小章貽之者，文曰酒仙，仲生尤樂不可支，益縱酒如陳死人，其風趣有如是者。
同門陳樹人服官桑梓時，思有以提挈藝事，以示清高，因有清遊會之組，仲生與黎慶恩首倡之，最盛時會友二百餘人，然世事陵谷，亂離後風流雲散矣。雖然，會友今猶多有避居香島者，由蘇世傑、李供林、鄧碧雲等發起復會，每周日例必舉行雅集，讀畫哦詩賭酒，各適其適、盛況不減當年也。仲生以多交富貴人家，泛觀名蹟，故於賞鑑，獨具隻眼，書畫真贗，過目立辨，其畫於山水人物花鳥魚蝨，無不精擅，花卉草蟲，得於師承，山水人物，參自古本，畫格謹嚴，而用筆賦色，亦清婉妍秀。廣州被兵，作客太平山下，以七十老翁，猶藉賣畫自給，嗣香江又陷，無以為生，於是遄返廣州，終以不堪窮愁而卒云。溯生於清同治壬申(一八七二)，逝於民國三十一年壬午(一九四二)，年七十一歲。
[論曰，古今來天與之才者，每嗇其遇，既使之從艱難困苦而成一藝，而又使坎坷不能自生其生。慧業文人，才技俊士，多與窮苦結不解緣，此豈詩窮然後工之理耶，蓋不窮者多欲，未能專志所學，必窮然後一切無所希求，一其心志而治藝也，仲生終身顛躓，矻矻窮年，畢生致力藝事，猶不能自裕其生，其不能怨天，不能尤人，祇悔投身藝術之門，宜乎窘悴而死。雖然，人能以一藝垂於後世者，是不朽矣，窮通得失，何所憾焉，於是乎，吾欲無言。]
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