1996-30, Folk Painted Sculptures in Tianjin Area《天津民间彩塑》

Stamp Title: Folk Painted Sculptures in Tianjin Area
Scott No: 2737, 2738, 2739, 2740
Serial number: 1996-30
Values in set: 4
(4-1), The two Immortals, 20 fen, 40*30mm
(4-2), Making Candy Doll, 50 fen, 40*30mm
(4-3), Returning from Fishing, 50 fen, 40*30mm
(4-4), Xi Chun in Painting, 100 fen, 40*30mm
Date of issue: November 5, 1996
Designers: Meng Xiangbin
Size: 40*30mm
Perforation: 11
Sheet composition: 40
Printing process: gravure

Tianjin folk painted sculpture is represented by the “Clay Figurine Zhang” painted sculptured. “Clay Figurine Zhang” got its name from the well-known folk clay sculpture artist Zhang Mingshan who lived in Tianjin at the end of the Qing Dynasty. Zhang not only inherited Chinese traditional clay sculpture art but also outwitted clay sculpture artists in earlier times to reach new heights in terms of subjects, image creation and his three unique techniques, such as “hiding clay in the sleeves”, “seeing the heart in the portrait” and “selecting the best from the masses”. His art has been popular with the people Zhang’s clay figurines, saying that “the figurines’ exact even surpass those of Yang Hui, the best sculpture artist in the Tang Dynasty”.

Zhang Yuting, son of Zhang Mingshan, inherited his father’ s three unique techniques and made breakthroughs in terms of art. His works were not only realistic but also full of imaginations, presenting efforts of five generations of artists from the Zhang family, the “clay figurine Zhang” clay sculpture has became a splendid art. It is not only an important cultural speciality of Tianjin but also a gem stone in China’s cultural garden.

The four stamps are based on the works of three generations of masters of “clay figurine hang”. They are “Two Hehe Gods” by Zhang Mingshan, “Candy-blowing Man” and “Returning after Fishing” by Zhang Yuting and “Xichun Drawing a Picture” by Zhang Jinggu. The stamps depict the exquisite workmanship and unique artistic features of the painted sculpture of “clay figurine Zhang” from several different angles .They include elegant god with an easy grace, in tensely alive and life-like artists in the streets; the “Returning, after Fishing” is handsome, quietly elegant and full of wit; the pretty, gentle and cultivated lady is an exclusive of the Zhang. All these demonstrate that the “clay figurine Zhang” painted sculptures are unique and have a wide range of subjects, that the clay figurine artists pay more attention to the vivid portrayal of details in creating their clay figurines and not over-elaborate the nitty-gritty details, and that they also lay stress upon similarity with a vivid touch.

1996年特种邮票《天津民间彩塑》
国家邮政局1996年11月5日发行《天津民间彩塑》特种邮票1套4枚。
（4-1）T 和合二仙 20 分 3583.7万枚
（4-2）T 吹糖人 50 分 2587.7万枚
（4-3）T 渔归 50 分 2705.7万枚
（4-4）T 惜春作画 100 分 2325.7万枚

志号名称：1996-30T
版别：影写
整版枚数：40 枚
全套面值：2.20元
邮票规格：40 × 30毫米
齿孔度数：11.5 度
设计者：孟祥斌
原作者：张玉亭（4-1）、张明山（4-2）（4-3）、张景祜（4-4）
印制机构：北京邮票厂

彩塑即泥塑，它是在粘土里掺入少量棉花纤维，捣匀后，捏制成各种形象的坯，阴干后，先上粉底，再施以彩绘，成为我国著名的传统工艺品。它的产生，是与我国古代做泥俑殉葬、做佛像膜拜、做玩具观赏等风俗有关，因此，其历史可谓源远流长。

泥人张的彩塑艺术已有160多年的发展历史，创造人是张长林(1926–1906)，字明山。泥人张已历经5 代传人，它代表了中国北方民间雕塑艺术，自19世纪中叶起一直流传至今，历久不衰。泥人张注重对人物性格的塑造与刻划，善于捕捉人物刹那间的动态，着重刻划人物内在性格，是塑与绘的完善结合。泥人张多取材于神话故事、戏剧、小说及现实生活，以“随类赋影” 高超艺术手法，细腻的表现出人物性格，展现出强烈的生活气息和民族风格，不但接近民众的日常情感，而且综合了中国文化传统的抒情艺术。