《西厢记》插图的绘刻者

Block-printer of Inserts in Notes of West Wing-room

元杂剧《西厢记》是中国古代戏曲史上公认的名著。明清两代刻本甚多。各种版本的《西厢记》插图构成了版画插图史上一系列完整而不可多得的标本;对其艺术演变的探索,也成为版画插图史研究中无法绕开的重要课题。《西厢记》版画的绘刻者问题,长期以来令人困惑。一方面,书商出于商业的目的,常常耍滑头,冒署画家的名号;另一方面,真实绘刻者的姓名却湮灭难寻。本文在介绍相关问题时力求去伪寻真。同时,对于绘刻者和刻工的相互关系及他们在版画风格形成和发展中的不同作用略作考证。

Yuan proto-drama Notes of West Wing-room is a classic in Chinese drama history. There are plenty of Ming and Qing-dynasty block-printed editions. Various editions of inserts in Notes of West Wing-room are complete and valuable examples in the history of print inserts, and thus a probe into their artistic evolution becomes an important subject. Block-printer of inserts in Notes of West Wing-room is confusing owing to some business causes. The paper tries to get rid of the false and retain the truth when introducing relative stories. It makes textual criticism of the relation between painter and printer as well as their different influences on the forming and developing of print styles.