Scott No: -
Serial number: 2009-6
Values in set: 6
Date of issue: March 22, 2009
Denomination: 720 fen
Designer: Wang Huming
Size of stamps:
50 * 30 mm for Value 1, 3, 5;
50 * 25 mm for Value 2, 4, 6
Perforation:
12.5 * 13 for Value 1, 3, 5;
13 for Value 2, 4, 6
Sheet composition: 12 (2 sets)
Printing process: Offset
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

On March 22, 2009, the special stamp "Selected Works of Shi Tao" (catalog number 2009-6) was officially issued. The set consists of six stamps with face values of 0.80 yuan, 1.20 yuan, 1.20 yuan, 1.20 yuan, 1.20 yuan, and 1.20 yuan, for a total face value of 6.80 yuan. The stamps were designed by Wang Huming and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using offset printing. Painting materials were provided by the Tianjin Museum, the Palace Museum, the Wuxi Museum, and the Guangdong Museum.

Shi Tao, originally named Zhu Ruoji, also known as Bitter Gourd Monk and Dadi Zi, was a representative painter of the "Four Monks" of the early Qing Dynasty and a landmark figure in Chinese painting history. He proposed the theory of "searching all the peaks to create drafts" and excelled in landscapes, flowers and birds, and figures, with bold and expressive brushwork that deeply influenced the Yangzhou Eight Eccentrics and later literati painting. The stamps feature six museum-collected treasures, covering landscapes, flowers, and figures, providing a comprehensive overview of Shi Tao's diverse artistic style. Through these stamps, Qing Dynasty literati painting is promoted, the tradition of ink painting is preserved, and the series of stamps featuring famous ancient painters is enriched.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background:

Lake Chao Scene

Image: The stamp features Lake Chao Scene, from the Tianjin Museum, depicting the vast scenery of Lake Chao with misty water, villages along the shore, and distant pavilions. This painting represents Shi Tao's middle-period travels in the Jianghuai region, combining realistic sketching with expressive brushwork. The painting includes a long self-inscribed poem, making it an important piece for studying Shi Tao's travels.
Significance: A classic example of Shi Tao's realistic landscape painting.

Listening to a Spring

Image: A scene of deep mountains and valleys, with a literatus sitting on a cliff listening to a flowing spring, surrounded by trees and streams. The painting creates a serene and reclusive atmosphere, reflecting the literati tradition of finding solace in nature and observing it with tranquility. It is a fine example of Shi Tao's landscape sketches.

Admiring Chrysanthemums

Image: A literatus admiring chrysanthemums in a courtyard, with flowers in full bloom, creating an elegant and tranquil atmosphere. Chrysanthemums are a traditional literati motif, symbolizing contentment with simplicity and a detachment from worldly concerns.

Plum and Bamboo

Image: Ink painting of plum blossoms and bamboo, with simple and lively brushwork. Plum and bamboo are classic literati subjects, symbolizing noble character, and reflect Shi Tao's free and spontaneous style in flower painting.

Figure and Horse

Image: A scene of a figure and a horse under an old tree, with simple and archaic forms. Shi Tao's figure paintings are relatively rare, making this work particularly valuable and filling a gap in Shi Tao's figure painting on stamps.

Ink Lotus

Image: A large-scale ink painting of lotus flowers, with leaves spreading and flowers standing tall, in bold and flowing brushwork. Shi Tao's ink lotus paintings are highly expressive and had a profound influence on later lotus painting, representing his mastery in flower subjects.

Artistic and Design Features:

Format: The stamps feature a mix of tall and short sizes, arranged horizontally for continuity, replicating the format of ancient hanging scrolls.
Color and Printing: The stamps reproduce the subtle, antique tones of the original paintings, preserving the ink layers. Each stamp retains the inscriptions and seals, integrating poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seals.
Anti-Counterfeiting: The stamps include micro-printed characters "STZPX" as a security feature.
Thematic Layout: The selection of landscapes, flowers, and figures provides a comprehensive representation of Shi Tao's major works, presenting a full picture of his artistic achievements.

This stamp set is an important issue in the Qing Dynasty painting series, following the "Selected Works of Bada Shanren" as a key part of the Four Monks series. Available in both stamp set and large sheet formats, it is often collected together with stamps of Bada Shanren, Hongren, and Kun Can, making it a popular item for thematic collections on traditional Chinese painting.