裱褙,古代又稱作「裝池」,是中國用來美化和保護書畫的一項專門技藝。早在紀元前三世紀的戰國時代,即已略具卷軸形式的雛型,但裝池技術真正發展純熟,則必須晚至唐朝以後。北宋晚期,宮廷裡甚至設置專司裱褙的機構,並訂定書畫裝裱規格,影響所及,到明、清兩代,猶持續被沿用。本「書畫裝池之美」圖錄的設計,圖版均以全幅形式來印刷,有別於只印畫心的編排方式。陳述重點,亦聚焦於解析手卷、立軸、冊頁、成扇等不同裝池形式的特色。書末附錄,並羅列裝裱書畫常用的工具與材料,用供參考。

The mounting, or backing, not only preserves a work of painting or calligraphy, it can also enhance its beauty. As early as the third century BCE, during the Warring States period, one finds an early prototype of the modern scroll form, but it was not later until the T’ang dynasty and afterwards that the art of mounting truly matured. In the late Northern Sung dynasty, the imperial court even established a workshop for mounting along with a set method for mounting painting and calligraphy that would influence this craft for ages, well into the Ming and Ch’ing dynasties. The design of this catalogue features images of the works in their entirety, not just the artworks themselves. Emphasis has been placed on the main points as well as individual features of the handscroll, hanging scroll, album leaf, and fan mounting formats. In addition, this catalogue also includes a reference appendix of tools and materials commonly used in mounting painting and calligraphy.