Qian Feng (1740–1795) became renowned in the Qianlong court for his mastery of Yan Zhenqing’s (709–785) regular script. Yan, one of the greatest Shufa artists in history, was admired not only for his powerful calligraphy but also for his patriotism: during the An Lushan Rebellion, he organized local militias in Shandong and served as allied commander, defending the Tang state with unwavering loyalty. Later generations admired both the uprightness of his strokes and the integrity of his character. Connoisseurs often describe Yan’s brushwork through bodily metaphors: his strokes, called “sinew,” resemble muscular arms—firm yet supple—while his characters sit squarely in their space with strength and fullness. In the work shown here, Qian translates these qualities into running script, relaxing the rigid formality of the model and allowing the characters to stretch gracefully, like a seated figure easing into a long breath.

True to the forthright quality of his writing, Qian himself was known for his uncompromising pursuit of justice. At a time when the elegant literati style of Ming master Dong Qichang (1555–1636) dominated scholarly taste, Qian remained committed to Yan’s archaic strength, valuing its moral clarity as much as its aesthetic force. In court service, he earned a reputation for integrity, confronting corruption at the highest levels—including direct opposition to Heshen’s faction during the late Qianlong era—and leaving behind not only memorable calligraphy but also a legacy of principled courage. In this way, his art reminds us that Shufa is never merely form, but a living embodiment of moral character and human spirit.

钱沣（1740 - 1795）在乾隆朝以学颜体楷书知名。颜真卿出仕于唐玄宗朝，于安史之乱中在山东领导地方武装抗击叛军，被选为盟军主帅，一己之力保护社稷周全，使他个人的刚正品格与笔法的正直大气同时被后世景仰。历代鉴赏家言“颜筋柳骨”，颜体笔画于曲线中带力度，如肌肉般饱满壮实，稳坐于字形之中。这幅作品中钱沣将颜体笔法转入行书，将楷书字稍事放松，依势延展，富有生韵。

正如他正直不逾矩的笔墨，钱沣为人同样清白独立。乾隆朝盛行董其昌书法文论之文士雅韵，但钱沣坚持颜体古朴大气。于朝中为官时，钱沣于御史任上面对和珅同党仍刚正不阿，以强硬整肃吏治、直言奏报宠臣贪污而闻名于清廷朝野。從此我們也可以看出書法也可以是藝術家人格精神的表現之一。