姚莹旧藏《谈艺图》考述

Research on the Discussion about Arts originally Collected by Yao Ying

《谈艺图》全名《桐城姚石甫先生扬州谈艺图》,是清代道光年间江阴画家吴俊为时任扬州两淮盐运使的姚莹所绘。画作内容为姚莹在庭院中与十余位朋友谈学论道的场景,所绘人物及背景皆十分工整。在姚莹自撰的后记中一一提到了画中各人物,有张际亮、李兆洛、刘宝楠等,皆为当时学界名流。此画作很好地保留下了这些名人的肖像,也直观地反映了他们交游、谈艺、论学的情景,极为珍贵。另外,卷内还附有曾国藩、李鸿章、严复等历代名人的题跋七篇,其中多处提及此图作于鸦片战争爆发前夕的背景,表达了有识之士对于国家危机的关切,以及几代人对于民族振兴的心愿。

The painting The Discussion about Arts with the full name The Discussion about Arts by Yao Shifu of Tongcheng at Yangzhou was painted by Wu Jun of Jiangyin in the reign of Daoguang for Yao Ying, who was the salt controller of areas south and north of the Huai He River at that time. It depicts the scene of a discussion about learning and art made by Yao Ying and a group of his friends in the courtyard and both the figures and the background are painted in a delicate and elaborate style. It＇s mentioned in Yao＇s own postscript that the figures in the painting including Zhang Jiliang, Li Zhaoluo and Liu Baonan were all the celebrities of the academic circle in that age. The painting is extremely precious for it well records not only the portraits of these celebrities but also the scene of their scholastic activities. In addition, there are another seven inscriptions on the painting by the later celebrities such as Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Yan Fu and so on. It＇s mentioned repeatedly that the painting was created on the eve of the opium war, which shows the grave concern of the elite over the national crisis and their willing of national rejuvenation.