Chapter 1,505: The details are like a screen, and the form depicts the spirit
How good are the stone carvings like the Six Horses of Zhaoling?
First of all, as far as the carved images are concerned, the six horses have different shapes.
Either standing or galloping, they are strong and powerful, vividly reproducing the shape of horses from the Western Regions in the Tang Dynasty.
From the depiction of each horse, the viewer can gain different emotional experiences.
The combination of density and density is concentrated in the depiction of the horse's head.
In order to highlight this emotional center of the horse, the author focuses on depicting the horse's head, making it irrelevant and decorative in a specific and detailed manner.
The depiction of the horsehair is extremely concise, with just a few large faces forming the volume.
This is not "cutting corners", but rather to avoid overstuffing the guest.
This strong contrast better reflects the subject of the horse head.
In addition, there is also the ingenious combination of lines and surfaces, which constitutes the unique artistic effect of Six Horses.
Six Horses is a surface formed by countless lines.
Viewed from any angle, its outer contours are clearly visible.
The "lines" are smooth and echo each other, such as the raised head and the side arc connecting the neck, which are elastic and echo internally and externally.
The strong chest, the lines are full of tension, as if it is about to collapse.
The lines within the outer contour line rise and fall slightly, and you can feel the inner strength of the line carving, explaining each muscle clearly and not trivially.
Through the depiction of the general outline, the ups and downs between large surfaces and lines, people can deeply feel the taste of "bone method and brushwork", which shows strength in softness.
Among the six horse portrait stones, there is another one that is eye-catching.
Above the horse's head, there are square blocks of varying sizes.
This seems to be incomplete in terms of artistic expression.
And it feels depressing when placed above the head, but this is by no means the author's fault.
It is inferred that the author probably left the space for praise.
This form of inscription appeared in the murals of martyrs and heroes of the Han and Wei dynasties, and craftsmen applied this traditional technique here.
All of the above are absolutely impossible for ordinary people to imitate, and it is impossible to imitate them at all.
If you want to imitate, you must at least have a good understanding of ancient carvings, paintings, calligraphy and other cultural connotations.
Of course, if it is only at this level, it is still impossible to imitate the perfect Six Horses of Zhaoling.
To complete a good carving, layout is very important, but spatial expression is also very important, which is also part of the layout.
The withering method of the six horses is to carve the stone into sections like a screen.
Each square stone screen leaves a border around it.
The size and spacing are equal, the positions are symmetrical, and they are arranged continuously to create a monumental effect.
Shaping the body in a limited space distances it from other tomb carvings.
The tension of space is expressed through the depiction of tense forms.
So that the viewer's feelings are not limited to the four directions.
The surrounding borders further enhance the decorative feel of the stone screen.
This difference from the outside highlights the theme more clearly.
In ancient Chinese art, whether it is painting or carving, the artistic aesthetic pursued is "to express the spirit through form".
No matter how similar the external forms are, it is meaningless.
Only the charm that is deeply hidden within the body has vitality and eternity.
In the creation of the "Six Horses", the craftsmen made bold breakthroughs, clever layouts, and highly summarized and personalized images.
There is also the carving technique, which combines realism and romanticism.
The "Six Horses of Zhaoling" eventually became a treasure in the history of ancient Chinese stone carving art.
Li Shimin organized the creation of the relief "Six Horses of Zhaoling", whose significance is not only to commemorate the war horses, but also has a deeper meaning.
In human history, horses are a very important domestic animal.
Due to its close relationship with human beings, artistic works with horses as the theme often appear at all times and in all countries, and gradually have profound cultural connotations, reflecting the spiritual temperament of the times.
The "Six Horses of Zhaoling" in the early Tang Dynasty did not directly depict the actual commemorators in a positive manner, but instead used the horses they rode as symbols to represent major historical events.
It uses realistic techniques and symbolic meaning to fully demonstrate the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty.
The Tang Dynasty paid great attention to the political and religious function of art, especially in the early period.
The closest thing to the "Six Horses of Zhaoling" is the "Statue of the Twenty-Four Heroes of Lingyan Pavilion", but unfortunately it no longer exists.
In order to commend the founding heroes, Li Shimin painted their images in Lingyan Pavilion.
On the one hand, they affirmed their achievements, and on the other hand, they set an example of loyalty to the emperor in society.
The emergence of "Six Horses of Zhaoling" has the same reason as the emergence of the above works.
Li Shimin himself was good at boasting about himself to people at the time and to future generations, and he worked hard to portray himself as a "wise king" who founded the country.
In the end, he achieved this, so now if the world is asked to talk about the wise kings of ancient times, he should be the first one that comes to mind.
As for Qin Shihuang, in many people's minds, he was a tyrant, not a wise king.
Therefore, this is an emperor who pays great attention to publicity and is very good at publicity.
In order to achieve this, he took measures in many aspects, such as recording historical documents and expressing them in artistic works.
"Six Horses of Zhaoling" is a typical example.
First, he highlighted his own achievements and minimized the influence of his father and brother.
The establishment of the Tang Dynasty was jointly accomplished by Li Yuan and his son. Li Shimin set up the "Six Horses" in front of his mausoleum to highlight his role in the founding of the country to the world.
It can be said that the "Six Horses of Zhaoling" is a rare group of exquisite cultural relics that combine history, archaeology, art appreciation and social value.
It is a historical product and historical witness of my country's feudal society and the period when comprehensive national strength was at its strongest.
It is also a material carrier with distinctive characteristics of the times and full of high-spirited spirit of the times.
After the Tang Dynasty, the art of "Six Horses" became widely popular. The reason was the superb artistry of the "Six Horses of Zhaoling" and the admiration of later generations for the majesty of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
The Tang Dynasty has always been considered a peak period in the history of our country and is highly praised by future generations.
at this point,
From the Six Horses of Zhaoling, we can see a hint of what the Tang Dynasty looked like in its prosperous period.
Therefore, on August 19, 2013, the four horses "Qingzhui", "Shivachi", "White-hoofed Crow" and "Telepiu" collected by the Chang'an Stele Forest Museum were included in the "Third Batch of Cultural Relics Prohibited from Export Exhibition" by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. Table of contents".
Such a batch of cultural relics that are very characteristic of the times are naturally not easy to imitate.
Otherwise, the ugly country back then would not have let me pass the experts to help them repair those two batches of horses.
And now the six stone carvings in front of Chen Wenzhe can be said to be truly complete in form and spirit.
In Chen Wenzhe's eyes, this kind of antique imitation skills is no worse than the six works from the Tang Dynasty.
This kind of craftsmanship can accurately restore the creative techniques and artistic conception of the year.
Of course, the most important thing is to be able to perfectly express the charm of the six horses, and even to express the meaning that Li Shimin wanted.
This is not easy, so this imitation technique is very extraordinary.