Exquisite Gu hand embrodiery of famous painting by Ding Yunpeng in the historical collection in the Forbidden City called,"White Horse Carrying Sutras" This is a Gu embrodiery rendering of that famous painting. Gu embrodiery is also called Lu Xiang Yuan embroidery for the area the the long line of the Gu family lived.
The inventor of Gu embroidery was a concubine of Gu Mingshi's first son, Gu Huihai. Later, Han Ximeng, the wife of the second grandson of Gu Mingshi developed the skill and was reputed as "Needle Saint" (针圣). Some of her masterpieces are kept in the Forbidden City.
The work is intricate on this silk embrodiery painting. There are different thickness of thread and different patterns. Even the ground has been contoured using these different methods. On the ground in some places there are very fine different colored silk that are not visible without a loupe giving the illusion of deepth. The skill that it took to produced this work of art has mesmerized me for hours as I have looked at every inch of it over the years.
The edges have been covered with a brocade silk border that has yellowed over time. threads laid rice paper, that has detrioted in places over time, while the art work looks as vibrant as the day it was produced. As paper yellows over time, the contrast is stunning. It was framed in the 1990's and when I took it out of its frame I was stunned at the difference of aging process.This might not have a lot in monetary value, but it is rich in historical value. It is mounted of a sheet of paper and has a border of paper with silk embroidered design that has cracked and torn in places over time. It once was mounted on a wood scroll which I still have and still has remnant of silk material still attached. I will evidently add a picture of it.
The trees are stupendously stitched giving them a sense of depth attributed to the different shades of silk so skillfully used. Only close examination will reveal that even when the same color is used there are of different shades only are trained eye could use to convey the originality of the painting produced by Ding Yunpeng. The original painting that resides in the Palace Museum has damage that was received after the embroidery was done.
Apparently Han Ximeng had access to the original for the rendering is exact, down to the expressions on the faces. The embroidery is 99% of what the painting depicts except for about an inch and one half (3.5cm) at the bottom of the painting. A few of the boulders and rocks at the bottom of the painting for this reason is not visible in the silk rendering. She moved the inscription and seals up to make up for the loss which is quite apparent when comparing the two side by side.
The colors have remained vibrant with deep reds,many shades of browns & tans, light to dark greens and different intensity of black silk thread. I say silk thread but I am not 100% sure for it could be satin and until a real expert examines we will leave at silk.
Where I found this beauty.
I used to go to a little town called Panacea in the Big Bend area of the panhandle of Florida. In those days there were little junk shops scattered about, all on Highway 98 that ran through the middle of this town whose main employer were the oyster processing houses. There was one really large thrift/odd & end/bric-a-brac/junk store. It measured approximately 50 feet wide by 70' deep. There was no air conditioning and no windows except a large picture glass window in the front that was to your left and a small row high along the ceiling in the back. The entrance doors were soot covered triple rows of multi pane glass that where left wide open as if to say "Come on in y'all." There was just enough space to park you car diagonally as you turned off from Hwy 98 into the rock and dirt parking strip. There was just enough space for six to eight cars. The highway was so close to the entrance that everything had a dusty film once it laid around for a couple of years. The place was cluttered, disorganized and no sense order; the antique treasure hunters favorite decor. The man that ran the place did it for his father that owned the store and property. There was a lot of junk, but there was also some treasures.
One Wednesday, which was my favorite day to go there I walked in to a section in the front that he kept the good stuff and what he considered antique. He had this and two other scrolls that had been framed very nicely and sealed in the back. The framing had cost him as he told me, $80 a piece. His objective was to get the framing cost plus $50 for each of the framed scrolls. His father told him that whomever bought them had to buy all as a group.
Well I was not going to pass up on these beauties, but then there was a dilemma, he did not take credit cards, all purchases had to be paid in cash. I went to the local grocery/IGA store, which did not have an ATM so I headed to the one bank that had an ATM, but there was no money in the ATM. I had to drive ten miles to a larger town that was the county seat called Crawfordville to retrieve some money. That is the story how I obtained this scroll and have enjoyed it ever since.
The inventor of Gu embroidery was a concubine of Gu Mingshi's first son, Gu Huihai. Later, Han Ximeng, the wife of the second grandson of Gu Mingshi developed the skill and was reputed as "Needle Saint" (针圣). Some of her masterpieces are kept in the Forbidden City.
The work is intricate on this silk embrodiery painting. There are different thickness of thread and different patterns. Even the ground has been contoured using these different methods. On the ground in some places there are very fine different colored silk that are not visible without a loupe giving the illusion of deepth. The skill that it took to produced this work of art has mesmerized me for hours as I have looked at every inch of it over the years.
The edges have been covered with a brocade silk border that has yellowed over time. threads laid rice paper, that has detrioted in places over time, while the art work looks as vibrant as the day it was produced. As paper yellows over time, the contrast is stunning. It was framed in the 1990's and when I took it out of its frame I was stunned at the difference of aging process.This might not have a lot in monetary value, but it is rich in historical value. It is mounted of a sheet of paper and has a border of paper with silk embroidered design that has cracked and torn in places over time. It once was mounted on a wood scroll which I still have and still has remnant of silk material still attached. I will evidently add a picture of it.
The trees are stupendously stitched giving them a sense of depth attributed to the different shades of silk so skillfully used. Only close examination will reveal that even when the same color is used there are of different shades only are trained eye could use to convey the originality of the painting produced by Ding Yunpeng. The original painting that resides in the Palace Museum has damage that was received after the embroidery was done.
Apparently Han Ximeng had access to the original for the rendering is exact, down to the expressions on the faces. The embroidery is 99% of what the painting depicts except for about an inch and one half (3.5cm) at the bottom of the painting. A few of the boulders and rocks at the bottom of the painting for this reason is not visible in the silk rendering. She moved the inscription and seals up to make up for the loss which is quite apparent when comparing the two side by side.
The colors have remained vibrant with deep reds,many shades of browns & tans, light to dark greens and different intensity of black silk thread. I say silk thread but I am not 100% sure for it could be satin and until a real expert examines we will leave at silk.
Where I found this beauty.
I used to go to a little town called Panacea in the Big Bend area of the panhandle of Florida. In those days there were little junk shops scattered about, all on Highway 98 that ran through the middle of this town whose main employer were the oyster processing houses. There was one really large thrift/odd & end/bric-a-brac/junk store. It measured approximately 50 feet wide by 70' deep. There was no air conditioning and no windows except a large picture glass window in the front that was to your left and a small row high along the ceiling in the back. The entrance doors were soot covered triple rows of multi pane glass that where left wide open as if to say "Come on in y'all." There was just enough space to park you car diagonally as you turned off from Hwy 98 into the rock and dirt parking strip. There was just enough space for six to eight cars. The highway was so close to the entrance that everything had a dusty film once it laid around for a couple of years. The place was cluttered, disorganized and no sense order; the antique treasure hunters favorite decor. The man that ran the place did it for his father that owned the store and property. There was a lot of junk, but there was also some treasures.
One Wednesday, which was my favorite day to go there I walked in to a section in the front that he kept the good stuff and what he considered antique. He had this and two other scrolls that had been framed very nicely and sealed in the back. The framing had cost him as he told me, $80 a piece. His objective was to get the framing cost plus $50 for each of the framed scrolls. His father told him that whomever bought them had to buy all as a group.
Well I was not going to pass up on these beauties, but then there was a dilemma, he did not take credit cards, all purchases had to be paid in cash. I went to the local grocery/IGA store, which did not have an ATM so I headed to the one bank that had an ATM, but there was no money in the ATM. I had to drive ten miles to a larger town that was the county seat called Crawfordville to retrieve some money. That is the story how I obtained this scroll and have enjoyed it ever since.
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