Sotheby’🦩s Hong Kong, Fine Chinese Painting, May 1989, lot 16

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香港蘇富比，一九八九年五月，中國書畫拍賣，編號16

Han Mo — Special Study on Wu Changshuo’s Landscape and Figure Paintings, issue 38, Han Mo Xuan Publishing Co. Ltd., March 19ജ93, p.E15

The Leshantang Collection of Modern Chinese Painting, Leshan Tang, Taipei, July 2006, p.25, 66

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〈名家翰墨〉第三十八期，吳昌碩山水人物畫特集（香港，翰墨軒，一九九三年三月），頁E15

〈樂山堂藏現代書畫〉（臺北，樂山堂，二〇〇六年七月），頁25、66

Wu Changshuo rarely depicted figures in his artwork unless they held special significance. This work portrays a fisherman in a straw hat and coat, clutching a fishing rod♋ and basket. Despite the absence of a background, the fisherman's hunched posture and lowered head suggest he is t🍌rudging against the wind in a cold, snowy environment.

In the inscription, Wu mentions that he is painting in the style of Huang Shen, who often dr꧑ew inspiration from everyday life, ꩲdepicting grassroots figures such as beggars and fishermen. The painting’s simple and concise yet unrestrained strokes resemble the spirit of Huang Shen’s calligraphic brushworks. 

Although fisherman often symbolises the joy of solitude, this painting depicts a destitute fisherman, possibly reflecting Wu’s own hardships. Throughout his life, he faced challenges in his political career due to his lack of political acumen and inability to flatter others. As a 🍎result, he resorted to selling paintings in Shanghai for income.

In 1914, during the height of his career, Wu enjoyed high regard from theꦐ Japanese and had many Japanese friends. He was also about to hold his first exhibition at the Rokusanen. The artwork embodies Zen aesthetics in its composition and brushwork. Its elongated format and Japanese mounting suggest it was intended for Japanese art collectors. The seal "Jiamo’s Collection" on the painting may have been added by the requester at the time. Wang Zhen also imitated this piece and exhibited it in Japan, further highlighting this theme’s appeal to the Japanese aud𝐆ience. 

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註：吳昌碩筆下鮮見人物，涉筆每有寄興。本幅寫漁翁，頭戴斗笠，身披蓑衣，扛魚竿，挽魚簍，躬背縮頸，無一筆補景，卻ꦦ似逆風行走於寒天雪地之中，形神畢肖。題稱擬「癭瓢子」，即黃慎筆意，黃慎好從民間取材，作品具世俗性，多寫乞丐、漁夫等底層人物形象。本幅綫條簡約，極具書寫意味，飛動恣意，流露文人氣息，與黃慎書法用筆之追求趨同，而旨趣迥異。

漁夫在文學作品中常寓隱逸之樂，本幅題詩，則塑造一介凄涼困苦之漁夫形象。吳昌碩半世以授館與游幕為生 ，因拙於吏才，不善逢迎，♏仕途不暢，無奈遷滬鬻畫，指仗硯田。他寫漁夫，更似為自己前半生落拓潦倒人生寫照。

一九一四年，正值吳昌碩創作盛期，於滬上知名度日廣。是時其書畫甚受日本人歡迎，身邊環繞不少日籍友人，並將在六三園舉辦第一次展覽。本幅純施水墨，構圖筆墨具禪意，尺幅窄長，兼保存日式原裝裱，應為日本求畫者而製，包首具「羯摩藏」印♛，或即當時求畫者所鈐。王震日後亦有臨寫一本，携至日本展覽，乃此題材為彼邦人士所好之又一例證。

參考資料：王震臨本〈雪簑釣歸圖〉可參見香港蘇富比，二〇二二年四月，中國書畫拍賣，編號3088