The Manifestation of Seal Paste Usage and Material Evolution in Gan Yang's Treatise on Seals
Journal: Arts Studies and Criticism DOI: 10.32629/asc.v6i6.4739
Abstract
This study examines Gan Yang's Treatise on Seals, focusing on the role and production techniques of seal paste in the development of seal engraving art, as well as the impact of material evolution on artistic expression within seal engraving. The article notes that Gan Yang was the first to systematically document seal paste production methods, emphasizing the transition from sealing clay to vermilion paste and its artistic function in calligraphy and painting seals. It also explores the expressive differences of various seal materials — such as bronze, jade, and stone — in seal engraving, particularly highlighting how the widespread use of stone propelled seal engraving into a vital medium for literati art. The article argues that the evolution of seal paste and seal materials collectively formed the material foundation for seal carving's transition from utility to art, reflecting Ming literati seal carvers' conscious pursuit of “ancient charm” and “elegant taste”.
Keywords
Gan Yang; Collected Discourses on Seals; Seal Paste; Seal Materials
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[2] Zhu Xiangxian. Seal Canon [C]∥Han Tianheng. Selected Essays on Seal Studies Through the Ages [M]. Hangzhou: Xiling Seal Society, 1999.
[3] Zhang Rong. Research on Eastern Han Correspondence and the Intellectual Landscape [D]. Xiamen: Master's Thesis, Huaqiao University, 2016.
[4] Zhu Xiangxian. Seal Canon [C]∥Han Tianheng. Selected Papers on Seal Studies Through the Ages [M]. Hangzhou: Xiling Seal Society, 1999.
[5] Su Shi. “The Green Bamboo Pavilion of the Monk of Yuqian” // Kong Fanli, ed. and annotated. Collected Poems of Su Shi: Volume 9 [M]. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company, 1982.
[6] Yuan Sanjun. Thirteen Treatises on Seal Carving [C]∥Han Tianheng. Selected Papers on Seal Studies Through the Ages [M]. Hangzhou: Xiling Seal Society, 1999.
[7] Zhu Xiangxian. Seal Canon [C]∥Han Tianheng. Selected Essays on Seal Studies Through the Ages [M]. Hangzhou: Xiling Seal Society, 1999.
[8] Shen Ye. Discourse on Seals [C]∥Han Tianheng. Selected Essays on Seal Studies Through the Ages [M]. Hangzhou: Xiling Seal Society, 1999.
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