Autumn Magpies, Fang Ji

Archive Label 2003:
Fang Ji (Japanese: Ho Saien) visited Nagasaki several times, and he became famous in Japan for his bird-and-flower paintings. His painting style is free and spontaneous. It contrasted markedly with the styles of the established Japanese school, especially the government-sponsored Kano school.
Fang Ji dispenses with outlines altogether and draws the branch and rocks with rough, vigorous brushstrokes. The chrysanthemum leaves are painted with a few wet dabs, and the flowers are spontaneously drawn with quick, light strokes.
Our eyes are naturally drawn to the three humorous and life-like magpies, as they chatter noisily across the center of the painting. The placement of birds is not random, and their relative positioning gives the painting its unity and dynamic element.