Xiang Shengmo, House of Heavenly Fragrance | 項聖謨　 天香書屋　設色紙本　立軸

Christie's Hong Kong, Fine Classical Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy, 3 November 1996, Lot 339

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香港佳士得，中國古代書畫，1996年11月3日，拍品編號339

The Leshan Tang Collection of Classical Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, Leshan Tang, Taipei, July 2006, pp. 86-87, 154

2. Ching Wan Society Twentieth Anniversary Exhibition, Painting, Ching Wan Society, Taipei, October 2012, pp. 62-63

3.Qinggong Zaobanchu jidang[General collection of archival records from the Qing imperial household department workshop], the thirty-nine year of Qianlong era

4. Qing gaozong (Qianlong) yuzhi shiwen quanji [Anthology of imperial Qianlong poems and text], jun 6

5. Please refer to the Chinese literature

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著錄：

1. 安歧〈墨緣彙觀錄〉，卷四名畫下，〈宋元明名畫大觀高冊〉，第十八幅，頁19-20

2. 《清宮造辦處活計檔》，〈雜錄檔-宮中檔簿〉，乾隆三十九年八月初一，〈尚書稽璜進貢〉，清石印本

3. 乾隆〈御製詩二集〉，卷六，古今體八十一首(戊辰六)，〈題項聖謨天香書屋圖〉，頁12-13

出版：

1. 〈樂山堂藏古代書畫〉(臺北，樂山堂，二〇〇六年七月)，頁86-87、154

2. 〈清翫雅集廿周年慶收藏展．書畫〉（台北，清翫雅集，二〇一二年十月），頁62-63

Ching Wan Society Twentieth Anniversary Exhibition, National Museum of History, Taipei, 20 October 2012 – 9 December 2012

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臺北，國立歷史博物館，〈清翫雅集廿周年慶收藏展〉，二〇一二年十月二十日至十二月九日

" The Tianxiang Studio" ("The Studio of Frangrace from Heaven") by Xiang Shengmo is a renowned artwork of considerable historical and artistic significance. Xiang was a native of Jiaxing, Zhejiang, and a descendant of Xiang Yuanbian. He was born with considerable family wealth, enabling him to collect a vast array of art pieces. Despite opportunities for official career pursuits, he chose to dedicate himself to the refinement of his painting skills. From an early age, he immersed himself in the study of classical works, notably those from the Song and Yuan dynasties, which significantly influenced his artistic style and earned him acclaim in later times.

During his formative years, Xiang Shengmo embraced the aesthetic of the Wu School, particularly the brushwork of renowned artists such as Shen Zhou and Wen Zhengming. He diligently copied the finest artworks from his family collection, thereby honing his skills through emulation of ancient masters. His wide social connections allowed him to forge close relationships with prominent figures in the art world, including Dong Qichang, Chen Jiru, and Li Rihua, which greatly contributed to his early success as a painter.

However, as Xiang Shengmo reached middle age, his artistic style underwent a transformation. This period coincided with the Donglin Party struggles, which caused considerable suffering among the common people and led to political instability. In response, Xiang Shengmo's paintings shifted from idyllic and sweet depictions to more intricate and realistic representations, focusing on scenes of human suffering and societal calamities. Notably, he produced works such as "Summer Flood in the Year of Jiazi" and "Autumn Drought in the Year of Yichou," which conveyed poignant critiques directed at the imperial court.

In his later years, Xiang Shengmo's disillusionment with the political climate deepened, particularly after the rise of the Qing Dynasty and the tragic fate of his family. Consequently, he withdrew from public life and sought solace in the seclusion of the mountains. His poetry and artworks from this period reflect a profound sense of regret and resentment stemming from his personal experiences of national adversity.

"The Tianxiang Studio" was created in the first year of Chongzhen (1628) and dedicated to a relative named Xiang Jia. During this period, Empire Chongzhen had just ascended the throne, and significant political reforms were underway, accompanied by the prominence of Yuan Chonghuan and the downfall of Wei Zhongxian. As a talented painter, Xiang Shengmo received a royal commission to "paint the Nine Chapters of the Imperial Robes"[1] and embarked on an artistic journey with Li Rihua to various locales[2]. This journey spanned nine months and contributed to his artistic vitality and creative peak.

The current work features an inscription by Dong Qichang on its upper right corner, referencing another work by Wang Meng with the same title. However, Dong illustrated Xiang’s artistic style on this painting consciously chose to emulate the style of Zhao Boju rather than Wang Meng, which emphasizes his intimate familiarity with Xiang Shengmo's artistic techniques. The connection between Dong Qichang and the Xiang family dates back to 1573 when Dong, at the age of seventeen, visited Jiaxing to study the their art collection[3]. Dong Qichang played a significant role in nurturing Xiang Shengmo's artistic development from an early age. Despite a considerable age difference between them, Dong often provided guidance and encouragement to the younger artist, as evidenced by his colophons.

“The ancients appreciated paintings that required mastery of all thirteen essential techniques, a truly challenging feat. Even great artists like Fan Kuan needed skilled hands to paint figures in his works. However, Xiang Shengmo's album excels in every aspect, be it trees, rocks, buildings, flowers, or figures, rivaling the masterpieces of the Song. The landscapes also bear the essence of Yuan Dynasty style.

Such paintings demand not only natural talent but also hard work and dedication. Xiang Yuanbian, with such a descendant, is a rewarding return on his century-long collection efforts.”[4]

Later in the ninth year of Chongzheng, Xiang’s later work "Landscape Album" described that Xiang’s younger brother encountered Dong Qichang, who entrusted him to request paintings from Xiang Shengmo. Dong Qichang specified the themes as "Apricot Blossoms in Spring" and "The Tianxiang Studio"[5], which may indicate Dong Qichang’s highly praise of the current painting.

In the upper middle of the painting, an imperial poem composed by Qianlong is inscribed. Although the specific date is not provided, it is deduced to have been written in the year of Wuchen (1748) by “Yuzhishi Erji”’. This suggests that this painting entered the imperial collection no later than that 1748, during which the initial compilation of "Shiqu Baoji" was completed. Furthermore, records indicate that Emperor Qianlong gifted the painting to Ji Huang (1711-1794) in the thirty-ninth year of his reign (1774), as evidenced by entries in the "Qing Palace Bureau Account Book." This offers an explanation as to why the painting was not included in " Shiqu Baoji". Thus, an overview of the artwork's provenance reveals its journey through various collectors and collections including An Qi, Qianlong, Ji Huang, Naito Torajiro, Lin Xiongguang and eventually arrived at Leshantang.

[1] Li Rihua’s colophon after Xiang Shengmo’s “Five Oxen after Han Huang” in Shiqubaoji, wrote in 1631

[2] Illustrated in “An untrammeled immortal and soughing pines” by Xiang Shengmo, Collection of Museum of Fine Art Boston

[3] Illustrated in “Huachan Shi Suibi” by Dong Qichang

[4] Illustrated in the fifth character in “Shigutang Shuhua huikao” by Bian Yongyu

[5] Illustrated in the eleventh character in “Xu li” from “Qianyuan Zongji”, page 9

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註：項聖謨，初字逸，後字孔彰，號易庵，別號甚多，如胥山樵、存存居士、醉風人、松濤散仙、逸叟、狂吟客、鴛湖釣叟、不夜樓中士等，浙江嘉興人，項元汴孫。承祖蔭富甲一方，收藏亦甚多，曾舉薦國子監太學生，不求仕進，一心精進畫技，又自幼薰陶，得觀家藏宋元明書畫名跡，後世評價甚高。

綜觀項氏一生畫藝，青年時期衣食無憂，以沈周、文徵明等吳門筆意為基礎，遍摹家藏宋元精品，取法高古，交遊廣闊，並與畫壇頂流董其昌、陳繼儒、李日華等交好，可謂少年得志。至中年時期正值東林黨爭，民生凋敝、政治動盪，項孔彰此時畫風漸由甜美轉為繁複而寫實，多描寫民生災害，接連創作《甲子夏水圖》、《乙丑秋旱圖》等諷諫朝廷為主題的作品。至晚年入清，項氏家族遭害，對政治徹底失望，隱居山林，詩風及畫風多透露國仇家恨的遺憾及怨懟。

《天香書屋》作於崇禎元年，上款為仲弟項嘉，或為族弟，時項聖謨三十一歲。當時的朱由檢剛繼位，重用袁崇煥，魏忠賢自縊，朝廷一片改革之風，項聖謨作為畫家奉旨入京「為天子繪九章法服」[1]，兼與同行李日華周游各地「經齊魯，出長城，歷燕山，遊媯川，又入長安，凡九閱月」[2]，可謂意氣風發，精神及藝術面貌皆處於巔峰之時。

本幅左上有董其昌題跋一則，謂王蒙亦有《天香書屋》一本，而項聖謨本幅取法趙伯駒，而非黃鶴山樵，實為讚賞，點評得道只因他太熟悉項聖謨畫筆。董其昌與項氏家族之交往始於1573年，董其昌十七歲時，前往嘉興「盡睹子京家藏」[3]，而他也貫穿項聖謨自幼習畫過程。項聖謨與董其昌相差四十餘歲，於現存資料可知董氏常常指導並鼓勵後輩，如《畫聖冊》(約作於1622-1628年)後董文敏跋：「古人論畫，以取物無疑為合一，非十三科全備者未能至此。范寬山水神品，猶獵名手為人物，故知兼長之難。項孔彰此冊，乃眾美畢臻，樹石、屋宇、花卉、人物皆與宋人血戰。就中山水，又兼元人氣韻，雖其天骨自合，亦要功力至深，所謂士氣、作家俱備，項子京有此文孫，不負好古鑑賞百年食報之勝事矣！」[4]，又如《招隱圖》後跋：「以此為少年之筆，為勝可也」。至於本幅，可由項聖謨《山水冊》[5]中畫家自題可知：「崇禎九年，仲弟從吳門謁石公先生，值董思翁我師於道，思翁寄二紙索畫，皆命題，一曰杏花春色，一曰天香書屋。」可視為董其昌對此幅之留戀與盛讚。

上方乾隆題詩一首，未署年款，查《御製詩二集》可知作於戊辰(1748)，可知本幅入宮不晚於此，時《石渠寶笈》初編已成書，而查《清宮造辦處活計檔》可知本幅於乾隆三十九年(1774)年，駁出予稽璜：「…項聖謨天香書屋一軸，本日交伊差來家人陸順領去訖」，故可略知本幅未錄入寶笈之緣由。至此可大略梳理本幅流傳，項聖謨繪於留都(即南京)，予上款人項嘉，得董其昌題跋，清初時入安儀周收藏並著錄於《墨緣彙觀》，後入內府收藏，得乾隆御題詩文，於1774年賜予稽璜，近代則流入日本，得內藤湖南題木盒，並於1996年重現市場，入藏樂山堂至今。 

[1] 項聖謨《臨韓滉五牛圖》，著錄於《石渠寶笈》，李日華題於辛未(1631)初秋。

[2] 《松濤散仙圖》卷後項聖謨自題，現藏美國波士頓博物館

[3] 董其昌《畫禪室隨筆》：「吾在學十七歲時。…比遊嘉興，得盡睹項子京家藏真跡。」

[4] 見卞永譽《式古堂書畫匯考》卷五

[5] 見《潛園總集》，〈續梨‧十一〉，頁九