A Chinese 6-panel hardwood screen with porcelain plaques dating from the Republic period. Each panel is carved with scholarly objects, mythical beasts, and insects with flowers on both the front and back sides. The four inner panels each have a rectangular famille rose plaque and a round blue and white plaque. The rectangular plaques have one inscription and one seal each with various subjects. The two end panels each have three round famille rose landscape plaques. These plaques each have one inscription and one seal. Dimensions are: the largest rectangular plaques measure 14 1/2 inches tall X 10 inches wide, 36.8 cm X 25.4 cm, while each panel measures 74 inches tall X 14 1/2 inches wide, 188 cm X 36.8 cm. All measurements are approximate. Condition: All the panels are detached from one another. All the plaques are in overall good condition. A reminder that all lots are sold as-is. We have sought to record the changes in the condition of this piece after its initial manufacture as diligently as possible; however, as stated in our terms, condition reports are statements of opinion and not representations or warranties. Oakridge Auction Gallery bears no responsibility for any error or omission. Provenance: From Ms. Grimm in Reno, Nevada. Inherited from her aunt Mrs. Halverson in Sacramento, California, who inherited this item after the death of her husband, Mr. Halverson. The screen was given to Mr. Halverson by his parents, who collected Asian art and antiques. Notes: This exquisite screen of carved hardwood is inlaid with fourteen famous porcelain plaque paintings dating to the Republic of China. The four screen panels in the middle each have one round and one rectangular plaque--a reference to the ancient theory of the round sky and square Earth--while the two outer panels have three circular porcelain plaques each. The wood of the screen itself is engraved with scenes from the Qing Dynasty and various mythical beasts implying auspiciousness and good luck. It is rich in content, integrating beauty with practicality.Multiple notable porcelain plaque painters are represented on this screen. Li Zixiang was the disciple of Wang Yeting, a member of the legendary Eight Friends of Zhushan. Xiong Wenrong, also known as Qisixuan, was a famous painter in the Nanchang porcelain scene during the Republic period. Luo Ziyun (1921-2008) was a multi-talented folk artist known for his paintings of landscapes, figures, flowers, and birds and for his proficiency in calligraphy, gold and stone seal carving, acting, lantern-making, costume-making, and more. Known alternatively by Yunxu Jushi and by his courtesy name Yuyun, he was considered one of the "Three Masters of Shunde Painting" along with Luo Zhong and Luo Hanrong.Of all the artists represented in the plaques on this screen, none are more important to the history of Chinese porcelain painting than Wang Dafan. Wang Dafan (1888-1961) was born in Taiyuan, Shanxi. His many names include Xiping Lay, Yishan Qiaozhi, Xiping Caolu, and his courtesy name, Kun. A core member of the Eight Friends of Zhushan, Wang Dafan played a vital role in the reinvention of the porcelain arts following the fall of the Qing Dynasty. His nearly 1,000 works reflect his style of translating poetry into painting and vice versa. While his early works bear a preoccupation with conveying moving stories, the works produced during his middle age focus instead on a sense of Zen, and his later works explore the spiritual realm.One of the porcelain plaque paintings on this screen by Wang Dafan is more precious than the others. It depicts an interesting scene of the Tiger-Taming Luohan in action. The faces of the characters in the painting utilize a Western technique of shading in which different colors give the shapes depth and form. Although this technique was introduced to China in the 18th century, it was exclusively used in imperial artworks such as falancai porcelain until the Republic period, when Wang Dafan introduced the technique to a wider audience. The colors on this plaque are bright with strong points of contrast; an organic combination of pastel colors and dark lines comprise the figure and his clothing. Rather than simply filling in outlined areas with solid colors, Wang Dafan used color perspective shading to imply the folds of the clothing and the straining muscles in the Luohan's neck. The black tiger is similarly lifelike and quite vivid, a difficult feathering brush technique giving the effect of fur on its body. This plaque fully demonstrates Wang Dafan's deep grasp of the performance of color materials and the subtlety of application. All his colors blend together naturally, inseparable from his bold use of lines. More than anything, his brushwork forms the backbone and spirit of his figure painting style, which draws upon both ancient Chinese and more contemporary Western techniques to achieve its hybrid appearance.此件作品為硬木雕花鑲嵌十四開民國名家瓷板畫屏風，中間四扇屏風秉承天圓地方的構造理念，邊上各有由三塊圓形瓷板畫組成的屏風相呼應。屏風上刻以清宮圖及各類神獸圖案，寓意吉祥如意，雕工極其精美，也應是出自於名家之手。瓷板畫本身燒造工藝相當覆雜，此件屏風又集齊了多位名家的精心之作，並且內容豐富，有青花及粉彩多種表現形式，集美觀裝飾與實用於一體，是一件不可多得的及收藏佳品。其中一幅王大凡所作瓷板畫尤其珍貴。畫中人物臉部采用西洋畫「色彩透視」技法來表現光線的明暗，人物形象骨骼鮮明，肌膚豐滿，富有層次和立體感。如此繪畫人物面貌的方法，在當時景德鎮瓷壇有「西法頭子」之稱。如此技法雖然在十八世紀已經傳入中國，但當時主要集中在宮廷藝術品之上，例如珍貴的琺瑯彩瓷，民間真正流行乃得力於民國初年王大凡等瓷藝家的推廣。人物著黃衣藍褲，腳踩紅鞋，整體顏色鮮明，對比強烈，服飾的以墨線勾勒，淡色渲染，強調色彩與線條的有機結合，色彩不再是僅僅填在線與線之間，而是有所變化，近線處色彩深，依次漸漸變淡，顯現出衣褶和明暗變化，由於色彩緊扣著線，線就更加突出了骨力，整體造型更加富有層次，與臉部之效果相呼應。黑虎栩栩如生，毛發絲絲分明，與人物同時嘯天長吼，相當形象傳神，這樣的畫工即使在紙上也是難度很高，畫於瓷板再燒制，效果如此之好，其難度非比尋常，沒有深厚的功力不敢輕易嘗試。充分彰顯王大凡對彩料性能掌握之深，施用之妙，深知彼此轉換搭配之精髓。其筆墨滋潤，諸彩交融，渾然天成，氣韻生動，這與他大膽用線是密不可分的。以傳統的文化氣度與積澱作為底蘊，把「線」作為生命的張力在重、輕、徐、緩、爽的用筆之中展示出情趣，形成其人物畫風格的精神。在「線」的詮釋中強調用線的金石韻味，由本品觀之，其以線條勾勒為主，於淳雅、清勁的細線中，雜用著高古遊絲描、琴弦描、折蘆描、釘頭鼠尾描，纖細的抑揚頓挫極見「寫」的功力，宛若晉唐小楷，一片清光，眾仙造妙筆下，秀潤而清新，讓人一飽眼福，又流連忘返。釋文1：《雙嘯圖》時在壬申初秋之月 黟山樵子大凡王堃畫於雪峰寺 鈐印：堃（朱）釋文2：樓台拱秀。癸亥之春寫子雲作釋文3：野橋影流。癸亥之春羅子雲作釋文4：一灣煙柳。癸亥之春羅子雲釋文5：秋溪山色。辛酉秋月李子祥寫於昌江釋文6：留得青山好樵柴，時在辛未孟秋天撫。 黃慎之筆意南山熊文融作於奇思軒。鈐印：文融作釋文7：《大富貴亦壽考》時在庚午年春之上瀚點黟山羅浮畫於珠山客次。鈐印：之印（白）釋文8：運時亨通利自樂。時於辛未年秋之上瀚南山熊文融於珠山奇思軒 鈐印：熊文融畫王大凡（1888-1961）：祖籍山西太原市，珠山八友之一。 名坤，號希平居士，又號黟山樵子，齋名希平草廬。王大凡是將國畫藝術和詩、書、畫、印運用到陶瓷裝飾上的傑出代表，其傳世的近千幅藝術作品，充分體現了以詩入畫，以畫孕詩，詩畫結合的藝術風貌。如果說他早年的作品用畫筆向人們講述一個動人的故事，那麽他中年的作品就是傳達一種禪意，晚年的作品則表達了一種精神境界。李子祥 ：汪野亭之徒。熊文融：室名奇思軒，民國時期南昌瓷器彩繪名家，書款為草書款，善於人物畫，書法多用顫筆，獨具風格。羅子雲（1921—2008）：號雲盦居士，是一位多才多藝的民間藝術家，擅畫山水、人物、花鳥，精通書法、金石篆刻，於演戲、紮花燈、做戲服等亦是無所不精。羅子雲生於詩書禮儀之家，曾祖父是清末禮部尚書羅惇衍，民國時期的北京大名士羅癭公、章草大家羅覆堪是其伯父，其父羅貴勉也是清末秀才，作為翰林的後代，秀才的兒子，羅子雲自幼稟受庭訓，一脈相傳的自然是四書五經、翰墨丹青。羅子雲與羅中、羅漢榮並稱為「順德畫壇三傑」。Similar examples have been sold at Christie's Hong Kong sale on November 30, 2010, as lot 3279 and at China Guardian Auctions' May 25, 2011 sale as lot 3032. 王大凡作品可參閱中國嘉德2011年05月拍賣，編號3032；佳士得香港2010年10月拍賣，編號3279。High resolution photos can be found here.