Acquired in Hong Kong in September, 1988

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一九八八年九月得於香港

The Leshantang Collection of Modern Chinese Painting, Leshan Tang, Taipei, July 2006, p.37, 77

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〈樂山堂藏現代書畫〉（臺北，樂山堂，二〇〇六年七月），頁37、77

Wu Changshuo had a fascination with portraiture, apart from his self-portraits, many other artists, including Ren Bonian, have depicted him too. Wang Zhen, who possessed exceptional skill in painting portraits, predominantly feature only his close friends and acquaintances, such as Wu Shiqian, Ding Fuzhi, the renowned physician Ding Ganren, and Wu Changshuo's friends and disciples. These portraits were clearly born out of genuine friendship rather than mere obligation, as they beautifully capture the real presence of those closely connected toꦛ the artist.

Although records indicate that Wang Zhen painted Wu Changshuo at least three times, it is highly likely that the actual number surpasses this. For instance, in 1914, Wang Zhen painted Wu on an unfinished painting of bamboo by Ren Bonian. In 1920, Wang Zhen created a line drawing of Wu’s portrait. The present work, painte🥀d in 1925 w🌸hen Wu Changshuo was 82 years old, depicts him wearing a long robe, holding a book, and assuming a pose identical to the 1920 portrait. However, the thinning beard and hair, as well as sagging cheeks, reflected the passage of time. The meticulous rendering of his facial features, using Western techniques of light and shadow and perspective, encapsulates the essence of Wu Changshuo. Despite his elder age, he radiates vitality, and his self-written verse reflects his carefree and transcendent disposition in old age.

Wang Zhen also painted portraits for Ding Fuzhi, Wu Shi🐭qian and himself, with Wu Changshuo inscribing poetic verses on these works, revealing the literary and camaraderie shared among these friends. 

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註：吳昌碩好寫照，自作之外，倩人造像者，亦不勝枚舉，僅任伯年即曾爲其畫像近十幅。王震精此道，屢有所𝄹出，然考其寫照者，幾乎俱為近友知交，๊如西泠印社尊長、同仁吳石潛、丁輔之，名醫丁甘仁及吳昌碩友人、弟子，蓋其爲人畫像乃出乎情誼，并非酬應，親近者方能攝其神韻，盡現風采。

王震為吳昌碩寫照，見諸記錄者不下三幅，實際應不止於此，如一九一四年，嘗就任伯年未竣之翠竹，作〈缶廬小像〉，一九二〇年，又作白描〈吳昌碩像〉💫。本幅乃一九二五年寫吳昌碩八十二歲像，吳氏身著長衫，手持書卷，姿態與一九二〇年本如出一轍，惟鬚髮漸疏，雙頰鬆垮，兩相對照，顯見歲月痕跡。五官刻畫參西畫光影透視，細膩傳神，雖已是垂老之態，仍見精神矍鑠，其自題七絕不無耄耋之超然灑脫。另觀王震為丁輔之、吳石潛寫照及其自畫像，吳氏俱奉題詩文，頗有文士友朋唱和之況味。