Auspicious Noon in the Sky《天中午瑞图轴》

Shang Shengbo (1869–1962)
Shang Shengbo, born Yan Zhi, courtesy name Shengbo, and later known by his pseudonym An Lu, was from Shengxian, Zhejiang (now Shengzhou). In the 30th year of the Guangxu reign (1904), he served as the magistrate of Hukou County, Jiangxi. After the Xinhai Revolution, he moved to Shanghai, maintaining a life of integrity and never ceasing his painting. During the early Republic of China period, he closely associated with renowned painters such as Wu Changshuo, Wang Yiting, and Ni Mogeng in Shanghai. After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, he was appointed as a member of the Shanghai Literature and History Research Institute and a painter at the Shanghai Chinese Painting Academy.

“Auspicious Noon in the Sky” (1943)
This work was created in his later years. It embodies both traditional scholarly interest and caters to the popular aesthetic, striking a perfect balance between the two and appealing to both refined and common tastes. The inscription reads: “The light red and white colors compete in beauty, the spring breeze remains the same year after year. Where can we find fishing boats now, the sight of smoke and flames is pitiful. Respectfully inscribed for my esteemed brother, Yousheng, in October of the Guiwei year, when I was seventy-five years old. By Shang Shengbo.” The red seal reads “Shang Shengbo’s work,” and another red seal at the lower right reads “Shang Shengbo created this after seventy years old.”

殷树柏（1769—1847），字曼卿，号云楼，晚号嬾云、西畴桑者，浙江秀水人。工花卉，承陈淳、恽寿平法，并融入自己的创新，恬静自然。

此轴绘一湖石，笔墨刚健，造型虽简单但艺术品质不低，寥寥数笔勾勒与渲染即表现出了湖石的玲珑剔透、重峦迭嶂之姿，颇见功夫。款署：“万仞虽巍，一篑攸似。咫尺之间，乃有千里。丛桂招隐，淮南邈矣。潄石枕流，子荆可起。卓哉静寿，为仁不已。我铭斯征，兹道甚迩。懒云子。”款下钤白文“云楼书画”、白文“西畴老屋”二章。画左下钤白文“嬾云子画印”章。