Orchid《兰花图轴》

Bai Jiao (1907–1969)
Originally surnamed He, named Fazhi, also known as Fu, with the courtesy name Yuanxiang and the pseudonym Xuru, Bai Jiao was from Jinshan, Shanghai. He excelled in poetry, painting, and seal carving. His poetry was renowned in Jiangzuo, and his prose closely followed the Tang and Song styles. His calligraphy, rooted in the “Two Wangs,” also drew from Ouyang Xun and Yu Shinan, making him a prominent figure in twentieth-century calligraphy. He was known for his ancient and elegant orchid paintings, which he rarely created for others.

“Orchid” (1940)
Bai Jiao’s orchid paintings drew from the strengths of ancient masters, emphasizing both natural inspiration and deep skill. His profound foundation in calligraphy lent precision and elegance to his paintings, imbued with scholarly charm and perfectly capturing the noble and otherworldly essence of orchids. His orchid paintings, along with Shen Shijia’s bamboo and Gao Yihou’s plum, were known as the “Three Wonders of Shanghai.” This work, although composed of a few strokes, displays superior brushwork and an extremely pure and refined aura. The long poem inscribed by his friend, the painter and calligrapher Chen Dingshan, adds significant value.

白蕉（1907—1969），本姓何，名法治，又名馥，字远香，号旭如，以笔名“白蕉”行，上海金山人。工诗文、擅书画、精篆刻。诗名动江左，文近唐宋。书法以“二王”为宗，兼取欧、虞诸家，是二十世纪成就卓越的帖学大家。写兰高古秀逸，然不轻易为人写作。

白蕉擅长写兰，汲取古人之长，又非常重视师法造化，功力极深。他又以深厚的书法功底入画，精谨而又秀逸多姿，不仅有浓郁的书卷气，而且完美呈现了兰花之高洁脱俗。当时人们将白蕉的兰、申石伽的竹、高野侯的梅，并称“海上三绝”。此作虽寥寥数笔，但笔墨上乘，气息极为纯雅。右下又有其友人、书画家陈定山题长诗，价值颇高。