When
or who started the practice of appending a seal to a painting or work
of art is rather obscure, but without doubt it is of the utmost importance.
The first seal placed by the artist, shows its authenticity and may be
followed by another differeft one, possibly to depict another facet of
the artist, in the form of a nom-deplume or artistic symbol. These two
almost certainly would be of the basic two types; one with the characters
on the seal carved in relief, giving red characters on a white ground
with a red bouder, cameo form, and the other being carved to produce white
characters with a red background, intaglio form-yet another oriental preoccupation
with Yin and Yang. Many seals are themselves works of art and if made
in ivory or jade, greatly prized.
Owners of paintings or their friends would posibly add their own chop,
partlly to show their approval, but also to give a visible record of the
pedigree of the painting, who owned it and when. The owner or collector
could also add a written dedication (a colophon) to any painting he liked,
but these frequently became cumbersome or ill-placed and destroyed the
basic beauty of the original painting.
A good seal colour will not run or fade for hundreds of years, but
needless to say the quality of the ink may vary and can be an expensive
item. It is a very thick sticky ted paste made of cinnebar(mercuric oxide)
which gives the red coloru, ouls and shredded raw silk and to use it properly
requires practice and patience. The seal is pressed into the ink a few
times and is then transferred onto the painting, making sure that firm
even pressure is applied to gain an imprint which will remain legible
for a considerable period of time.
As in the case of all materials used in Chinese brush painting, the seal
used , the colour of the ink and the actral application are all part of
the artist't ritual.
The seal makes the painting complete; the small splash of distinctive
red often stands out quite prominently and it is, for beginners as well
ad the experienced artist, a touch of realism and authenticity. But to
obatin a handmade chop (and all are individual in both manufacture and
creation)is not only expensive, but a long drawn-out process. Therefore
to make yur own is a useful and interesting exercise.
The kind of chop
