Description

Chinese framed calligraphy by the famous 20th century artist, 张爰
Zhang Yuan. This is the original name of the painter also know as Chang Dai-chien or Zhang Da-qian. Chang Dai-chien or Zhang Daqian (1899 – 1983) was one of the best-known and most prodigious Chinese artists of the twentieth century. Originally known as a traditionalist painter, by the 1960s he was also renowned as a modern impressionist and expressionist painter. When he was young, Zhang Yuan was captured by bandits and held for ransom. When the bandit chief ordered him to write a letter home demanding a ransom, he was so impressed by the boy’s brushmanship that he made the boy his personal secretary. During the more than three months that he was held captive, he read books of poetry which the bandits had looted from raided homes. When he was grown, he lived in Japan, Argentina, Brazil, California and Taiwan. While living in Carmel, California in the 1960’s he became popular, having his first solo exhibition at Stanford University.

In the seals below the signature, the top one has the same 2 characters:
张爰. Zhang Yuan and the bottom one says: 大千大利 Daqian dali.
Daqian is his painter’s name and comes from a Buddhist term meaning ‘boundless’ or ‘infinity’;
dali means ‘great benefit’ or ‘great prosperity’

The main 4 characters of the calligraphy (R–L) are 水流花開 Shuǐ liú huā kāi
“Water flows and flowers blossom”. This is a well-known fragment of poetry by Song-dynasty poet Su Shi
The first three lines of the poem are used to depict the three phases in Buddhist meditation. “with fallen leaves all over the empty mountain, where to search for its track?” (Wei Yingwhu).
“In the empty mountain without anyone, water flows and flowers blossom” (Su Shi).
“eternal is the vast sky, coupled with one moment of wind and mood” (Chonghui).

Dimensions: Art: 8 5/8″ high x 24 3/4″ long. Frame: 12 3/4″ high x 34 1/8″ long