Wang Kaiyun (1833-1916) was a leading literatus and scholar in Hunan’s cultural circles during the late 19th century, and later a key figure in China’s transition to the Republic. In his early years, he moved among prominent contemporaries such as He Shaoji (1799-1873) and Hu Linyi (1812-1861), immersing himself in a milieu of scholarship and artistry that shaped him into a distinguished authority in classics and epigraphy. His Shufa reflects this background: blending the formality of Tang masters’ regular script with the austere power of stone inscriptions, he crafted a style that embodied the late 19th century’s reverence for antiquity.

Wang wrote with rhythm and strength. His brush lands in solid touches, runs with vigor, and lifts in rugged yet lyrical fades that anticipate the next stroke. Rather than relying on the fluid links of cursive script, his characters stand in poised independence, supported by internal structure—like ancient trees rooted on the edge of a cliff, weathered yet full of life.

In parallel with the spirit of his writing, Wang stood as a preserver of tradition in a time of upheaval. Late in life, he became the first director of the Academia Historica, the Republic of China’s national institute for history and culture, and mentored a generation of influential figures, including politician Yang Du (1875-1931), revolutionary martyr Liu Guangdi (1861–1898), and ink master Qi Baishi (1864-1957). In both his art and his life, Wang embodied the conviction that Shufa could carry forward the vitality of the past into an uncertain modern age, a reminder that every stroke can hold the weight of cultural continuity.

王闿运（1833-1916）是晚清至民初湖湘文化名人，更作为首屈一指的经学、文学家在民国肇始领导文化工作。他早年与同为湖湘名士的书法家何绍基（1799-1873）及湘军主帅胡林翼（1812-1861）交好，常一同讨论诗书，使他在文人士大夫的环境中得到培养。王闿运书体承湘派风尚，将唐楷规制与碑体之金石气相融，于软笔中得俊朗古意，彰晚清好古之风。

湘绮老人笔法富有节奏：落笔扎实、行笔遒劲、收笔苍翠雅致，富有诗意，并与下一笔遥相呼应，昭显运笔动势。但他的字不依靠行草的牵丝展现流畅性和表现力，而是以活力筋骨支撑笔画，如同峭壁上的老树，用迸发的生命力支撑树干。

王闿运的书风与个人身份相辅相成。创作这幅作品时他时处晚年，时任中华民国国史馆首任馆长，门下名弟子成蹊，有政治家杨度（1875-1931）、戊戌六君子之一的革命家刘光第（1861-1898）、书法家夏寿田（1870-1935）、以及诗书画印全才的水墨巨擘齐白石（1864-1957）。