Great Compassionate Father

CHINA; Qing dynasty

The title of this seal “Great Compassionate Father” comes from the Returning Favors Sutra, in which the question arises: “Who is the Buddha?” and to which the reply is: “A person of all wisdom.” “Who is the person of all wisdom?” is then asked, and the final response given is: “A Great Compassionate Father.” Hence, the Great Compassionate Father is the Buddha.
This seal contains four characters that are laid out evenly. Characters for “da” (great) and “fu” (father), appearing in the top right and bottom left corners respectively, have fewer strokes, leaving more red on the seal surface. The other two characters, which when combined, form the word “cibei” (compassionate), consist of more complicated stroke arrangements and comprise much of the remaining negative space on the seal. As a whole, the diagonal format of the seal and the distribution of positive and negative space across the characters work together to create a harmonious and well-balanced piece.
Zhao Zhiqian was a calligrapher, painter, and seal engraver of the late Qing dynasty (1644–1911). His accomplishments in the fine arts are outstanding, in addition to his success as a poet and writer. Zhao maintained that his seals follow the style of the Han and Qin seals, emphasizing bright, clean works executed with a vigorous and firm knifing technique.