Chinanews.com, Nanchang, February 3rd, title: "Painting and Calligraphy Doctor" who brought broken ancient paintings back to life
Reporter Li Yunhan
"Every time I fix an ancient painting to bring back the brilliance of the art of a century ago, I have a sense of accomplishment." Wu Fuming, 61 years old, is an ancient painting mounter and restorer who has been in the Bada Shanren Memorial Hall in Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province. Ancient paintings that have been repaired for nearly 40 years.
Due to historical reasons or limitations of preservation conditions, ancient paintings will be damaged to varying degrees such as moldy, broken, and incomplete.
The repairers of ancient paintings are "painting and calligraphy doctors" who "operate" on broken ancient paintings so that they can continue to be passed on.
Many original works of Zhu Di, which are currently in the Bada Shanren Memorial Hall, have been preserved after Wu Fuming's "Wonderful Hand Rejuvenation" and will be re-opened for the world to visit.
Photo by Li Yunhan
When a reporter from Chinanews.com saw Wu Fuming, he was standing in front of the console and repairing a modern calligraphy and painting.
After soaking the calligraphy and calligraphy with water and carefully scrubbing, Wu Fuming carefully peeled off the life paper covering the heart of the painting with tweezers. These two processes are called "washing the painting" and "unmounting".
"Repairing ancient paintings is a meticulous thing in itself. It requires carefulness and patience. Only by slow work can I do meticulous work." He said.
"The most important thing is'unmounting'. If this step is not completed, the subsequent restoration will not be possible. If you are not careful, you will become a sinner of history." Wu Fuming said that a painting and calligraphy restoration is like an "operation". Interlocked, a little mistake will have irreparable consequences.
Wu Fuming, 61 years old, is an ancient painting mounter and restorer. He has repaired ancient paintings in the Bada Shanren Memorial Hall in Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province for nearly 40 years.
Photo by Li Yunhan
"Each repair will cause more or less damage to the painting. If it is not to the point where it is necessary to repair, it will not be repaired." In Wu Fuming's view, the restoration of ancient paintings should "repair the old as the old", and it is best to use it. Repair materials with similar ages. If there are no materials that match the age, they need to be worn out manually to ensure the same color of the paper.
In 40 years, Wu Fuming has repaired hundreds of ancient paintings, some of which took a few days and some took two years.
Many original works of Zhu Di, which are currently in the Bada Shanren Memorial Hall, have been preserved after Wu Fuming's "Wonderful Hand Rejuvenation" and will be re-opened for the world to visit.
"If a painting is not repaired, it may not be displayed, or it may not exist, but because of my work, it can be'reborn' or preserved for longer, then my work will be meaningful." Wu Fuming said that every time the ancients left behind hundreds of years of art to be renewed in their own hands, they have a special sense of accomplishment. This is their own "historical responsibility".
Wu Fuming and his apprentice are repairing a painting and calligraphy.
Photo by Li Yunhan
"The art of mounting and repairing can only be taught one-to-one. The textbooks are only fur, and at the same time, we must accumulate experience through the restoration and training of paintings." Wu Fuming believes that every step in the restoration of ancient paintings, Both are the crystallization of the wisdom of the working people in China. Ancient paintings need to be passed on, and ancient painting restoration techniques need to be passed on.
Now, Wu Fuming has retired. After being re-employed by the Bada Shanren Memorial Hall, he concentrates on his apprenticeship, passing on the ancient painting mounting and restoration skills from generation to generation.
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