58 
House & Garden 
Iron pictures were first made by Tang Tien-chih, a forger of iron, Tang was first inspired to forge his beautiful pictures as answer 
working in the city of Wuhu in the Citing Dynasty, about 1644 to a challenge from an artist working in the simpler medium of oil 
Tang pictures 
a worshiper 
in a shrine 
(Below) Yel¬ 
low primus, a 
winter panel 
PICTURES 
IN IRON 
An Early Chinese Art 
A. ESTELLE PADDOCK 
I N the early days of the Ching Dynasty 
which put its first emperor on the throne 
of China in 1644, there lived in the city 
of Wuhu, so the Chinese Biographical 
Dictionary tells us, a certain Tang Tien- 
chih. Tang began life as a forger of iron. 
Elis shop stood on a street of iron workers. 
All day long the clang of iron hammering 
on iron filled the narrow street, and far 
into the evening glowing sparks from his 
anvil lit up the blackened walls of his dingy 
shop. While Tang fashioned locks and 
tongs and plow points, his soul was seeking 
the beautiful. In the alley behind his shop 
lived the painters of his city. Among them 
was a certain artist named Sung, who was 
Tang’s closest friend. 
Sung was noted for his paintings of ex¬ 
quisite landscapes, landscapes with lofty 
mountains, graceful trees and flowing 
streams. In their midst nestled cottages, 
bridges spanned the waters, and fisher folk 
