bokuran　墨蘭

KEY WORD :　art history / paintings

Ch: molan. Paintings of wild orchids rendered in *sumi 墨 ink. Related to paintings of ink bamboo *bokuchiku 墨竹, and ink plum *bokubai 墨梅. The wild orchid has been associated with the virtues of high-minded gentlemen since the Eastern Zhou dynasty, when poet Qu Yuan (Jp: Kutsu Gen 屈原; ca. 340-280 BC) praised the frail, modest bloom, delicate fragrance, and appearance of the plant in unobtrusive places. The wild orchid is counted among the *shikunshi 四君子 (four gentlemen). Its long, smooth leaves are well-suited to expressive rendering in ink wash *bokugi 墨戯. Monochrome paintings of orchids date from the Northern Song dynasty, but became popular with painters of the Southern Song dynasty and Yuan dynasty such as Zhao Mengjian (Jp: Chou Mouken 趙孟堅; 1199-1295), and Zhao Mengfu (Jp: Chou Moufu 趙孟ふ; 1254-1322), who used the image to symbolize China under alien Mongol rule. The Zen 禅 monk, Xuechuang (Jp: Sessou 雪窓; ?-1349?), combined the orchid with rocks, bamboo, and old trees in a hanging scroll painting in the Imperial Household Agency, Tokyo he also wrote a treatise, Hualan Bifaji (Jp: GARAN HIPPOUKI 画蘭筆法記) on the flower. Ink orchid painting came to Japan in the 14c and was a favorite subject of the Zen priest painters, Tesshuu Tokusai 鉄舟徳済 (?-1366) and Gyokuen Bonpou 玉えん梵芳 (?-1420?). The theme, as revived by *nanga 南画 painters in the 19c, is exemplified in several paintings by Tsubaki Chinzan 椿椿山 (1801-54).

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rankei douhou-zu 蘭�專ｯ芳図 at Tokyo National Museum

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