Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries


Visitors' Forum

Asian Art  Forums - Detail List
Asian Art Forums

Message Listing by Date:
Message Index | Back | Post a New Message | Search | Private Mail | FAQ
Subject: Help with translation.
Posted By: Renato Francisco dos Santos Junior Wed, Jul 29, 2015 IP: 179.159.147.253

Hello,

I need Help with translation.
Thank you





Subject:Re: Help with translation.
Posted By: Bill H Thu, Jul 30, 2015

I'll pass on the red seal, but the inscription in black reads down as 百鸟安东圖 (Bai Niao An Dong Tu), translatable as 'Hundred Birds Picture by An Dong'. Here, 'An' seems to be used in its form as a surname, and "Dong" the given name.

'Hundred Birds' traditionally has been called by the longer title of 'One Hundred Birds Adoring the Phoenix'. This and the use of simplified characters in the inscription makes me wonder if your picture might have been done on the China Mainland in the 1960's or early 1970's, when political correctness required artists to subdue such metaphysical subjects.

Here are a circa 1875 Chinese 17 in-tall vase and circa 1840 Chinese ormolu-mounted 7.75-in plate with two different painting styles of this iconic scene.

Best regards,

Bill H.





Subject:Re: Help with translation.
Posted By: Renato Fri, Jul 31, 2015

Thank you very much Bill. Best regards!!!!

Subject:百鳥安乐圖 A picture of 100 tranquil and happy birds
Posted By: Super Fri, Jul 31, 2015

The fourth character of the title of this shell carving picture is 乐 (le) which is the 草书 (cao shu), cursive or simplified Chinese for 樂 which can be used to mean either happy like in 快乐 (乐pronounced as Le) or music like in 音樂 (樂 pronounced as yue).

In this case, the title means

A picture of 100 tranquil (clam, peaceful) and happy birds.

The chop mark below the title is:

北海貝雕

North Sea Shell Carving

These are some links discussing it:

http://baike.baidu.com/view/10910075.htm

http://baike.baidu.com/view/902941.htm

http://cpc.people.com.cn/n/2013/1212/c87228-23817496.html

Sadly I do not see anything close to 100 birds and I feel cheated. Sorry.

Hope this helps.

Super

Subject:Re: Help with translation.
Posted By: rat Thu, Jul 30, 2015

"Picture of 100 birds, peaceful and happy"

Subject:Re: Help with translation.
Posted By: Renato Fri, Jul 31, 2015

Thank you very much my friend. Best regards!!!!

Subject:Re: Help with translation.
Posted By: rat Fri, Jul 31, 2015

Bill, I think you are reading 乐 as 东

Subject:Re: Help with translation.
Posted By: Bill H Sun, Aug 02, 2015

Yep, and I even looked at caoshu in the Jiuti Shufa Shiyong Zidian and still didn't catch the error of my ways until I saw the printed characters. I appreciate you and Super grading my papers.
BH


Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries |