Internet Antique Gazette » scroll painting

Wu Guanzhong

hcst — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:19:50 +0000

Wu Guanzhong

Wu Guanzhong was one of China’s best known contemporary painters whose popularity, both inside and outside of China, continues to rise. In 1936 he joined the National Arts Academy of Hangzhou studying both Chinese and Western painting techniques. After studying in Paris at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts, he introduced Western aspects of painting to his students at the Central Academy of Art in Beijing. He was banned from painting and teaching at the start of the Cultural Revolution and was sent to Hebei Province for hard labor. Wu’s art has been shown in Singapore, Tokyo, Korea, Great Britain and the United States of America, to acclaim and superior reviews. He passed away on June 25, 2010 but his influence continues to exert itself both in Asia and the West.

Reference note courtesy of New Orleans Auction. December 2011.

Li Keran

hcst — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:01:46 +0000

Li Keran

Li Keran was a child prodigy beginning his artistic career at age 13. He studied at Shanghai Art College studying both tradition Chinese painting and Western art. He learned from Kang Youwei who stressed artistic foundation should be built upon Song academic painting and the realistic tradition of Western painting. He also studied under Andre Claoudit and then developed his abstract and structural style. His experimentation with wash technique began in 1934. Li joined the faculty of the Beijing National Art College in 1946 and came under the tutelage of Qi Baishi and Huang Binhong. His relationship with Qi became very close and Qi acclaimed him to be the most important painter in the post Qianlong-Jiaqing period. His legacy is not that of a traditionalist nor reformer but as a pioneer in blending techniques into a distinctive “modern” Chinese style. He attracted numerous students who established the “Li School” in the 1980′s. Li died in 1989.

Reference note courtesy of New Orleans Auction Gallery. December 2011.

Qi Baishi

hcst — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:51:38 +0000

Qi Baishi

Qi Baishi is possibly the greatest of modern Chinese painters and his works are collected worldwide by museums and private collectors. His very personal style developed over the years after beginning studies with master Wang Xiangyi in the late 19th century and continuing with his integration into the artistic circles of Beijing. He began teaching traditional Chinese painting at the Beijing Art Academy in 1927, while expanding his personal style into contemporary areas. His career continued throughout the turmoil of early 20th century China. In 1953 he was named “People’s Artist” by the Central Cultural Ministry and in 1954 he was elected the Hunan province representative of the National People’s Congress. Qi Baishi died on September 16, 1957.

Reference note courtesy of New Orleans Auction Gallery. December 2011.

He Haixia

hcst — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:08:36 +0000

He Haixia

The following information about this distinguished 20th century Chinese artist is reproduced from a 2008 news release from the China National Academy of Painting.

He Haixia’s Chinese painting exhibition is unveiled

Sponsored by China National Academy of Painting, the Chinese painting exhibition of He Haixia is currently on display to commemorate the centennial anniversary of his birth until Sept.15 at the National Art Museum of China. The exhibition displays more than 100 paintings created from the 1950s to the 1990s and provides an overall picture of his artistic achievements.

Born in Beijing, He Haixia was vice president of Shaanxi Chinese Painting Academy and member of China Artists Association. He established a solid foundation through learning from Han Gongdian and Zhang Daqian and copying the paintings of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Due to precious experience in Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces, he formed “Chang’an School” in the field of landscape paintings with Zhao Wangyun and Shi Lu.

He Haixia stresses on wide themes, diversified techniques and vivid features. He is good at both large-sized and miniature paintings. He is skilled at using ink and various colours and creating unique flavour. He used to live in the Northwest China and created works for a long period. He established a unique school through magnificence in his works in the field of contemporary landscape painting. In his later years, he was devoted to creating grand works for the country’s important halls and venues.

As a master of the turning signification in the history of the Chinese modern landscape painting, He Haixiao worships the tradition, while his value lies in his extraordinary force and pioneering spirit. Based on the original appreciation of artistic traditions and modern life, he transfers the traditional skills to realistic representations, and adopts new themes and contents in order to develop new skills. With the interaction between tradition and life, he successfully solves the problems in modern life with traditional skills.

The exhibition provides the audience with a good opportunity to feel the artistic charm in a short distance, and it also offers precious materials for case study to help the academic circle recognize the evolution history of modern landscape printings and enhance the study on the aesthetic thinking of the Chinese paintings.