Yan Liben’s “Bunian Tu” 阎立本《步辇图》

作者：阎立本
Author: Yan Liben
尺寸：纵38.5厘米，横129.6厘米
Size：38.5cm×129.6 cm
材质：纸本、设色
Material: ink and color on paper
年代：唐（现藏北京故宫博物院）
Dynasty: Tang dynasty (Collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing)
《步辇图》是故宫博物院中国十大传世名画之一，设色典雅绚丽，线条流畅圆劲，构图错落富有变化，为唐代绘画的代表性作品，具有珍贵的历史和艺术价值。
“Bunian Tu” (also called Emperor Taizong Receiving the Tibetan Envoy) is one of the top ten traditional Chinese paintings. It features elegant and bright colors, smooth and vigorous lines, and a flexible composition. The painting is a representative piece of paintings from the Tang dynasty, and possesses both historical and artistic value.
《步辇图》是反映的是吐蕃(西藏)王松赞干布迎娶文成公主入藏的事。图卷右半是在宫女簇拥下坐在步辇中的唐太宗，左侧三人前为典礼官，中为禄东赞，后为通译者。画中的唐太宗面目俊朗，目光深邃，神情庄重，充分展露出盛唐一代明君的风范与威仪。
“Bunian Tu” tells the story of how the Tibetan King Songtsan Gampo married Princess Wencheng. On the right side of the painting, Emperor Tang Taizong sits on a sedan surrounded by maids holding fans and canopies. He looks handsome, composed and peaceful, fully displaying the majesty and dignity of an enlightened emperor. On the left, the first person is the official in the royal court, the one in the middle is the envoy and the last one is an interpreter.
从绘画艺术角度看，作者的表现技巧已相当纯熟。衣纹器物的勾勒圆转流畅中带有坚韧；主要人物的神情举止栩栩如生；图像局部配以晕染，如人物所穿靴筒的折皱等处，显得极具立体感；全卷设色浓重淳净，大面积红绿色块交错安排，富于韵律感和鲜明的视觉效果。
The painter demonstrated accomplished painting skills in the painting. The ink outlines of garments are both smooth and vigorous. The behavior and expression of the main characters are vivid. Shading is used in some parts of the painting, such as the wrinkles of boots, which give the painting a strong three dimensional effect. The painting's color scheme is bright, generous and splendid, featuring large area of red and green, which presents a sense of rhythm and impressive visual effects.
阎立本简介
A Brief Introduction of Yan Liben
阎立本（601～673年），隋代画家阎毗之子，阎立德之弟。唐太宗时任刑部侍郎，后做工部尚书、右丞相。
Yan Liben (c. 601-673), was the son of Sui dynasty painter Yan Pi, and the younger brother of Yan Lide. He served as Vice Minister of Justice during the reign of Emperor Taizong, and later as the Minister of Public Works, and then You Chengxiang—a post considered one for a chancellor.
他的书画取材广泛，如宗教人物、车马、山水等，尤其擅长画人物肖像。《步辇图》是以贞观十五年（641年）吐蕃首领松赞干布与文成公主联姻的历史事件为题材，描绘唐太宗接见来迎娶文成公主的吐蕃使臣禄东赞的情景。
His calligraphy and painting works cover a wide range of topics and themes, such as religious figures, vehicles and horses, landscapes, and so on. He was good at painting figures. based on the historical event of the Tibetan King Songtsan Gampo and Princess Wencheng of Tang Dynasty joining in marriage, “Bunian Tu” depicts Emperor Taizong receiving a Tibetan envoy called Lu Dongzan who came to escort Princess Wencheng to Tibet in the 15th year (641) of the Zhenguan reign.