Reconstruction of the Superscription Style of Zhao Mengfu's Handwritten Letters and Identification of Forgeries

Abstract

Many calligraphic works by Zhao Mengfu have been passed down including many forgeries. Most of these works are copied from historical engraved inscriptions. Due to the fact that many of the manuscripts are in the form of handwritten letter and have undergone composition adjustments during engraving, the layout of the handwritten letters’ superscriptions is significantly different from the original manuscripts. Later copyists, however, often failed to investigate these discrepancies. They mechanically replicated the superscription layout as it appeared in the engraved version manuscripts. These copies have been passed down to present day, often mingling with authentic works and causing confusion. Nevertheless, based on the anachronistic superscription styles they present, they can be definitively identified as forgeries.This article attempts to elucidate the standard format of superscription in Yuan Dynasty handwritten letters, examine the compositional alterations that occurred when original manuscripts were engraved, and pinpoint the evidence that these alterations provide for identifying such forgeries of Zhao Mengfu’ s. The authentication of Chinese calligraphic and pictorial works is an academic field prone to debate. The perspectives presented herein aim to offer a reference for evaluating the authenticity of certain ancient handwritten letters.