石渠寶笈三編(延春閣),第五冊,頁2228&*故宮書畫錄(卷五),第三冊,頁552&*故宮書畫圖錄,第十一冊,頁61-62&*蔣廷錫(西元一六六九-一七三二年),江蘇常熟人,字揚孫,一字酉君,號西谷、南沙。歷官文華殿大學士,有政聲。未第時與顧雪坡遊,善寫生。在朝為官後,矜重不苟作,偶為一二,又為宮禁所寶,流傳真蹟絕少。 牡丹兩枝,一墨染、一雙鉤,花後襯以淡墨,遂使突出紙面,頗見精神。花托嫩葉及葉背皆以淡墨和微赭為之,是水墨中創法。&* Chiang T’ing-hsi, a native of Kiangsu province, served as Grand Secretary of the Wen-hua Hall. Before taking office, he befriended Ku Hsüeh-p’o and enjoyed painting from nature. After becoming an official, Chiang’s paintings became more carefully executed and done only occasionally. His works were treasures of the Forbidden City, so few examples found their way to the public. Two peonies-one executed in washes and one in outline-are depicted in this work. After being delineated, a pale wash was added to lend a three-dimensional effect and capture their spirit. The brush moves with lively energy, and the application of pale sienna to the undersides of the leaves is an innovation in monochrome ink painting of the day.