Seal Art and Its Principles was completed in the Jia Yin year of the Wanli reign (1614) and written by Xu Shangda of the Ming dynasty. It is a landmark work on seal studies from the late Ming dynasty. It contains 21 introductory notes. Volumes 1 through 1 primarily introduce the systems and forms of official and private seals, volumes 1 through 15 discuss ancient seal script and seal studies, and volume 16 introduces seal knob designs. From volume 17 onward, it presents seal impressions. In addition to collecting ancient seals, it also includes works by famous and anonymous Ming dynasty seal carvers, as well as the author's own creations. It brings together ancient and contemporary seals in one collection, uniting theory, commentary, and seal works in a single volume.
This book "Yinfa Shendong" is really good! I particularly like the author's explanation of rules and sealing methods. He said, "Rules are the method of circles, and moments are the method of squares." This sentence deeply inspired me. The book also contains many works of ancient sealers and famous sealers, which are very exciting. I think this is a very valuable book on seal engraving, and it is worth reading for those who like seal cutting.
This book "Yinfa Shendong" is really good! I particularly like the author's explanation of rules and sealing methods. He said, "Rules are the method of circles, and moments are the method of squares." This sentence deeply inspired me. The book also contains many works of ancient sealers and famous sealers, which are very exciting. I think this is a very valuable book on seal engraving, and it is worth reading for those who like seal cutting.