True and Not False

CHINA

The expression “true and not false” appears in several Buddhist sutras including Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra, which deems the words of the scripture as “spoken by the Buddha; this is true and not false.” The phrase indicates that the Buddha’s teachings are the ultimate truth and not fabricated in any way.
The four characters of this piece are carved in the style of a pictorial seal, expressing the words but with no apparent implications as to their meaning. Engraved in large seal script, the characters are energetically arranged within a free and flamboyant composition. The incised contours of the script are smooth on one side and cracked on the other, indicating that the seal was created using the swift knife technique. Elongated twists superfluously adorn the left and right sides of the seal and are simplistically carved in only a few strokes.
Chen Banding, was also known as Chen Nian or Jingshan, was born in Shaoxing, Zhejiang. He was a calligrapher, seal engraver, and poet, in addition to an avid art collector. Chen was a student of Wu Changshuo, but developed his own unique painting style which became highly-regarded during his time.