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A full image: Masterpiece of Nature

Artist (Vietnamese, born 1979)
Date2007
MediumChinese ink on Xuan paper
Dimensions55 1/8 × 27 9/16 inches (140 × 70 cm)
ClassificationsCalligraphy
Credit LineAcquired through the George and Mary Rockwell Fund
Terms
  • Calligraphy
  • Vietnamese
Object number2009.047.002
Label CopyPlaying with representational versus literal meaning, Ph?m Van Tu?n’s curving brushstrokes evoke a feminine figure when the scroll is hung in a traditional hanging format. Only when viewed horizontally, however, are the words rendered legible. Like the other members of the Zenei Gang of Five, the background is treated with as much diligence as the rendering of the characters, producing diverse ink patterns and textural effects across the entire pictorial field. This reflects their concern that the artworks be regarded as abstract paintings as well as contemporary calligraphy.
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