老李
In the midterm of Qing Dynasty, the calligraphy art turned a brand new page. There were many great calligraphers immerged at that time and He Shaoji was one of them. The academic world called him the Top 1 Calligrapher of Qing Dynasty, yet in the artistic market, he was underachieved. There are two reasons for that: first, He Shaoji was a pure calligrapher. Comparing with contemporary artists good at calligraphy and painting, his less popularity was imaginable; second, the unique personality in his calligraphy artworks was beyond the public aesthetic domain and can only be appreciated by the professionals. He left great amount of artworks, which might limit relevant market price, too. However, along with the increasing attention on the calligraphy artworks by the art collection market, He Shaojis artworks drew a lot of attention recently.
清中期,碑學(xué)大興,書法藝術(shù)遂迎來(lái)嶄新一頁(yè)。傳統(tǒng)文人的帖學(xué)書法與返璞歸真的碑學(xué)書法相融合,造就出若干書壇大家,何紹基便是其中之一。學(xué)術(shù)界有一種說(shuō)法,稱何紹基為“清代書法第一人”,實(shí)非過(guò)譽(yù)。無(wú)論其當(dāng)時(shí)的藝術(shù)成就,還是其對(duì)后世書家的影響,都當(dāng)?shù)闷疬@一名頭。
然而,在目前的藝術(shù)品市場(chǎng)上,與同代大家相比,何紹基卻屬于“后進(jìn)”之人。其作品雖然被內(nèi)行人們稱道,收藏成交也算得活躍,但顯然未能贏得大藏家的青睞,精品價(jià)位也只能止步于500萬(wàn)元以內(nèi)。要知道,與之并列晚清書壇第一梯隊(duì)的趙之謙,其書作早已突破千萬(wàn)元大關(guān)。
究其原因,大抵有兩點(diǎn):其一,何紹基是純粹的書法家,與書畫兼善的藝術(shù)家如趙之謙相比,知名度、曝光率自然不敵,事實(shí)上,在清代書法家之列,何紹基的作品并不算便宜;其二,何紹基的書作熔碑帖于一爐,極富個(gè)性韻味,即便到了今天,也無(wú)法將之置于大眾審美范疇,這種只有內(nèi)行人才看得懂的作品,能在市場(chǎng)上取得并不算差的成就,已屬不易。
何紹基的書法得益于顏真卿最多。事實(shí)上,無(wú)論作書還是做人,何紹基對(duì)于顏真卿都極為推崇、傾慕。何紹基出身于書香門第。其父何凌漢曾任戶部尚書,其本人自然也理所當(dāng)然地走上仕途之路。然而,天性正直耿介的何紹基并不適應(yīng)于當(dāng)時(shí)的官場(chǎng),沒(méi)當(dāng)幾年官便得罪權(quán)貴,為人陷害,被降官調(diào)職。既如此,何紹基干脆辭官退隱,過(guò)起了周游山水、悠然自得的日子。悠游訪古、教書講學(xué),雖于官場(chǎng)無(wú)所建樹,卻在學(xué)問(wèn)書法上終成一代大家。
何紹基的書法,初學(xué)顏真卿,后學(xué)歐陽(yáng)通,繼而漢碑、魏碑。采眾家之所長(zhǎng),融會(huì)貫通,使得何紹基的書法既有明顯的傳承態(tài)度,同時(shí)又具備其本人的風(fēng)格姿態(tài)。他兼善眾體,卻將各體相融相成。其在行草書中融入篆、隸的質(zhì)樸、古拙,筆筆有金石之聲;在他的隸書中,又能明顯看到流暢的行草筆勢(shì);同樣,他的楷書也并非如晉唐那般規(guī)矩、方正,而是融匯了行草的流麗與篆隸的曠達(dá),形成一種兼具淡雅與厚重的獨(dú)特書風(fēng)。
正因?yàn)榇?,或許很多不明就里的人會(huì)覺(jué)得何紹基的書法不甚“規(guī)矩”。然而,正是這種出于規(guī)矩而忘記規(guī)矩的創(chuàng)造,才讓他的作品有了別出心裁的氣韻與味道,也才讓他本人成為后世書家仰望的偶像。如大師齊白石,亦坦承其書法得益于何紹基頗多。
何紹基一生游走四方,留下了大量作品,但這在今天的市場(chǎng)中卻亦喜亦憂。可喜的是,人們可以透過(guò)作品更好地了解這位清代大家,更便于系統(tǒng)性收藏;可憂的是,物以稀為貴,作品存世量太大,則市場(chǎng)價(jià)位勢(shì)必不會(huì)太高。不過(guò),隨著藝術(shù)品收藏市場(chǎng)對(duì)書法的日益重視,真正有實(shí)力的書家已逐漸脫穎而出,何紹基的作品雖然不算貴,但在近年中的漲勢(shì)已引起了不少關(guān)注,業(yè)內(nèi)人士紛紛看好其后市空間。