Huang Shiling

CHINA, Anhui, Huangshan; Qing dynasty

Huang Shiling was a calligrapher and seal engraver who was also known as Mufu or Yishanren. He founded the Yishan school of seal engraving and was of comparable reputation as Wu Xizai, Zhao Zhiqian, and Wu Changshuo.
Huang learned the art of seal engraving under several masters, including Deng Shiru as well as Wu Xizai and Zhao Zhiqian. In order to cultivate his skill, he diligently studied the various techniques of the Qin (220–207 BCE) and Han (206 BCE–220 CE) dynasties. His own style was unique, peculiar, and attracted many followers. Huang’s seal engraving work of the Heart Sutra was comprised of a total of 52 pages, with one seal on each page. His other Buddhist works include All Dharmas Are Empty, and he authored Seal Records of Huang Mufu.
Also talented in seal script calligraphy, his style showed depth, simplicity, and exuberance. Huang’s paintings, which were relatively few, were created primarily during his mid to late life. One of his paintings, Flowers in Four Screens, is kept at the Anhui Museum in Hefei. His seal works, Liang Linzhang Seal and Jiquan Yihao Dingzhai, are kept at the Shanghai Museum in China.