In recent years, there has been an outstanding figure in the Chinese calligraphy world who is good at both seal carving and calligraphy theory, and he is Huang Dan, a professor of calligraphy and doctoral supervisor at Nanjing University of the Arts.
Huang Dian is a leader among the famous scholars in the contemporary book world, teaching in the ancient capital of Nanjing, he embodies the Jiangnan romance, sparse and beautiful post study complex. Unlike other calligraphers who preferred stele studies, Huang Dian stayed away from the influence of inscriptions, and he pursued the principle of "learning the pen but not the sword", and devoted himself to the study of the penmanship. In the early 90s of the 20th century, when most young and middle-aged calligraphers were still obsessed with stele learning, Huang Dan became the focus of the third national exhibition of young and middle-aged calligraphy seal carvers with his unique skills and chic charm, creating a precedent for "Codex style". After the mid-90s, the book world began to return to the "two kings" of theology, and Huang Dian became the initiator of this return trend.
Born in 1947 in Yangzhou, Huang became a professor and doctoral supervisor at Nanjing University of the Arts. He was a member of the Art Discipline Evaluation Group of the Academic Degree Committee, the director of the Art Research Institute of Nanjing University of the Arts, a director of the Chinese Calligraphers Association, a deputy director of the Academic Committee of the China Calligraphy Association, a director of the Xiling Seal Society, a member of the Chinese Artists Association, and a researcher of the Chinese Calligraphy Court of the Chinese Academy of Arts and the China Seal Carving Art Research Institute. His contributions and talents have been recognized in many fields, and he has won many awards, including the first prize of the "National Seal Carving Competition", the grand prize of the "99 World Calligraphy Jeonbuk Biennale" in South Korea, and the "Lanting Award Art Award" of the 4th Chinese calligraphy.
Huang Dian Mi Fu "years of abundance".
In the creation of calligraphy, Huang Dian actively advocated "post learning", emphasizing the importance of penmanship in the creation of calligraphy. His works have attracted wide attention across the country, created the "Codex Style", and made outstanding contributions to the revival of Theology. In addition, he also excelled in seal carving, and he was inspired by the inscription on the bottom of blue and white porcelain bowls in the Ming and Qing dynasties, creating a new style of sealing.
In terms of calligraphy, Huang Dian advocates the pursuit of "rhyme" and "bookish atmosphere", and pays attention to the expressiveness of brushwork in his works. However, in terms of specific brushwork, he seems to have some deviations in his pursuit of the correct lineage of Theology. He did not follow Mi Fu's footsteps into the Wei and Jin dynasties, but more inclined to the Song and Ming Dynasty bookish atmosphere, and even with some Shanghai calligraphy flavor, which makes Huang Dian's works in the skill although desirable, but in the breath style is still not superior.
Huang Dian's aesthetic concept of calligraphy is obviously biased towards "rhyme" and "bookish atmosphere", and there are some deviations in his grasp of the spirit and breath of Tixue, which leads to his failure to truly achieve perfection in calligraphy creation. He failed to go deep into the breath of Wei and Jin like Mi Fu, but to find a harmony between Mi Fu and Wang Duo. Therefore, Huang Dian's calligraphy exudes a sense of rigidity for the study of Ti, neither Mi Fu's chic and free, nor Wang Duo's vigor and strength.
In general, Huang Dian is one of the few people in the contemporary calligraphy world who is good at seal carving and calligraphy theory. His contribution is not only in the revival of theology, but also in the field of seal carving. However, in the creation of calligraphy, there are some deviations in his grasp of the atmosphere of Tixue, which makes his works slightly lacking in charm. I hope that in the future, Huang Dian will be able to give full play to his talents and make more contributions to the development of Chinese calligraphy.