Attributed to Pien Chin-Stan, an artist of the Yuan period (1280-1368),
is the painting of birds and flowers reproduced on this page. The mellow
harmony of the colors is particularly delightful. Exquisite sensitiveness
to beauties of line and form, combined with loving observation of nature,
distinguishes the drawing. Although paintings of the Yuan period,
generally speaking, are inferior to the Sung, lacking the spiritual
qualities that characterize the earlier period, in such work as this the
great traditions of Chinese painting are worthily continued. To
appreciate Chinese painting one must rid oneself of the mistaken idea, so
common to Occidentals, that a work of art depends for success upon its
“likeness” to nature. Petty imitation of the appearance of things plays
no part in Chinese painting. It is the expression in terms of beauty of
the inner and informing spirit, rather than the outward semblance, that
constitutes the aim of the Chinese artist.
[Tung Fang So. Jade]