Fairy Dwelling in the World《世外仙居图轴》

Zhang Xiong (1803–1886)
Zhang Xiong, courtesy name Shoufu, pseudonym Zixiang, and also known as Yuanhu Waishi, was from Xiushui, Zhejiang, and later lived in Shanghai. He was a prominent painter of the early Shanghai School. Zhang excelled in painting flowers, drawing inspiration from artists such as Zhou Zhimian, Yun Shouping, and Hua Yan, and his works were known for their clear and elegant colors with a bold and ancient charm. He was particularly skilled in painting large peonies with a strong presence. Zhang also painted landscapes, figures, and seal carvings and was an avid collector of calligraphy, painting, and stone inscriptions. Along with Ren Xiong and Zhu Xiong, he was known as one of the “Three Xiongs of Shanghai.”

“Fairy Dwelling in the World” (1883)
Zhang Xiong rarely painted landscapes, and this scroll was created when he was eighty-one years old, showing his stability and maturity, mainly following the style of Wang Hui. The foreground features proud pines and unique trees lying on slopes. The middle and distant scenes depict secluded valleys, layered green hills, and a moist and lush atmosphere, conveying a sense of leisurely mountain living. The inscription, composed by Zhang Xiong himself, captures the essence of the painting: “A person in the mountains, an immortal in the world, looking up at the clouds and listening to the spring. Quietly imagining, it seems as if it’s right in front of me. When will I be able to join?” This expresses the artist’s reclusive feelings.

张熊（1803—1886），字寿甫，号子祥，别号鸳湖外史，浙江秀水人，流寓上海，前海派画坛名家。工花卉，得益于周之冕、恽寿平、华嵒诸家，色墨清丽，纵逸古媚。尤擅大幅牡丹，气势十足。兼作山水、人物与篆刻，平生收藏金石书画甚富。与任熊、朱熊合称“沪上三熊”。

张熊少作山水，此轴为他晚年八十一岁时所作，沉稳老练，主要取法王翚。近景苍松傲立，奇树卧坡。中、远景沟壑幽奇、层峦叠翠，湿润苍翠，一派山居悠闲之意。落款自作诗点名了画意：“山中人兮世外仙，仰看云兮俯听泉。静中遥想恍在前，我欲从之知何年。”表达了作者的隐逸情怀。