The Man in the Teapot
Sometimes the best place in the world is not a place at all.
At first glance, this looks like a humorous painting about an old fellow who loves tea so much that he has decided to live inside a teapot.
That is part of the joke, but it is not the whole meaning.
The man and his teapot are figurative. The teapot represents the place, vocation, or activity where a person feels most completely at home. For one person, that might be a workshop. For another, it could be a garden, a library, a dojo, a fishing boat, or a quiet table with a favorite cup of tea.
Zhang Xiuzhen's painting suggests that a more contented life begins with recognizing what genuinely suits us, then having the courage to give it a proper place in our lives. We spend a remarkable amount of time adapting ourselves to situations that make us unhappy. Perhaps we should spend more of it looking for the right teapot.
Like much of San Yang's work, the painting begins with humor. You smile at the impossible image first. A moment later, you realize it has quietly asked a much larger question:
Where is your teapot?
About Zhang Xiuzhen and the San Yang Collection
These paintings are part of the San Yang Collection,
a series of original Chinese paintings that blend folklore, gentle
humor, everyday life, and traditional philosophy.
The artist is Zhang Xiuzhen (born 1943), who paints
under the pen name San Yang. During our conversations,
she told me she began painting as a child in 1958. After spending
time with her and discussing many of these paintings, I realized that
the visible subject is often only the beginning of the story.
One of the pleasures of working directly with Zhang has been the
opportunity to talk about the meanings behind her artwork. Translating
these paintings into English was rarely a matter of translating the
visible Chinese characters alone. Many of the paintings are built upon
old stories, visual jokes, cultural traditions, or figurative ideas
that reveal themselves only after a longer conversation.
That is why you'll occasionally find interpretations throughout
Oriental Outpost that begin with "Zhang explained..." rather
than "I believe..." Whenever possible, I prefer to let the
artist speak for her own work.
A Style That Makes You Smile First
What first attracted me to Zhang's work was her unusual combination of
humor and philosophy. Many paintings make you smile immediately. A man
living inside a teapot. Two old friends playing chess. Someone fishing
for answers. At first they appear playful. Then, a few minutes later,
you realize the painting has quietly asked a much larger question.
That ability to hide thoughtful ideas inside simple scenes is one of
the reasons I have continued collecting and offering her artwork for
so many years.
Traditional Chinese Brush Painting
Zhang paints in the traditional Chinese
xieyi, or "freehand," style. The brushwork appears
effortless, but that simplicity is deceptive. Broad, confident strokes,
often using a partially dry brush, must establish form, movement,
expression, and mood with remarkable economy.
Each painting is created with Chinese ink and watercolor on handmade
xuan paper, often called "rice paper" in English.
The paper contains natural fibers and gold-colored flecks that give
each sheet its own character.
After the painting is completed, we professionally mount it to
additional layers of xuan paper. This traditional backing process
strengthens the artwork, keeps it flatter, and prepares it for framing.
Unlike raw, unmounted xuan paper, it arrives ready for a frame.
Frame not included. The artwork is professionally backed and ready
for framing upon arrival.
Collecting Original Paintings
From time to time I see Zhang Xiuzhen's work appear at galleries and
international auctions, often at prices considerably higher than those
found here. One advantage of working directly with the artist is that I
can offer original paintings without the additional layers of gallery
or secondary-market markup.
More importantly, I have been able to ask questions that collectors
normally cannot. Many of the interpretations found throughout this
collection came directly from conversations with Zhang herself.
Matching Several Paintings as a Set
Because these are individually painted original works, there will
always be slight differences between batches. Handmade paper varies in
color and texture, gold flecks appear in different places, dimensions
can differ slightly, and every brushstroke is unique.
If you are creating a matching group of paintings, please contact me
before ordering. I'll do my best to select paintings that complement
one another. If necessary, I can often arrange for Zhang to paint a
coordinated set, although that naturally requires additional time.
Interested in a Larger Version?
Many of these subjects can be commissioned in larger sizes. Zhang is
generally willing to paint works up to approximately
18 × 18 inches (45 × 45 cm).
An 18-inch painting contains roughly four times the painted surface of
the smaller works I normally stock, so it requires considerably more
time, materials, and mounting. If you are interested in a larger
version, please contact me for current availability, pricing, and
estimated completion time.
Framing Ideas for San Yang Paintings
When your painting arrives, it will look like this after you remove it from the box and unroll it.
You will need to decide how you would like to display your original hand-painted artwork.
I suggest that you take your artwork to be professionally framed.
The result may look something like the image to the left.
Your other option, which will involve extra time and effort on your part is to
find a picture frame that you like from your local art supply store, and mount
your artwork yourself.
Examples of what this art might look like if you frame it yourself using
standard 16x20 picture frames.
Suggestions for framing this Asian philosophy art
Step-by-step instructions for framing this Asian art
