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Modern Ages
2006-7-4 11:11:31
    Zhejiang modern fine arts were full of extraordinary splendor. In the beginning of the Republic of China, many young students went to study abroad. When they got back, they brought with them the western art. As a result, Chinese fine arts turned from the classic form to modern form. The educator Cai Yuanpei was the pioneer for this important change. In 1917, Cai Yuanpei (1868-1940) published several articles in the New Youth journal, among which were The Origin Of Fine Arts, The Evolution Of Fine Arts, and The Relation Of Fine Arts And Science. He put forward the idea of 'replacing religions by fine arts education' and with this enlightened modern art. In 1927 when Cai Yuanpei became the president of Nanjing Government University, he established the National Art Education Committee and invited Lin Fengmian to be the director. In 1928, he presided over the establishment of the National West Lake Art Academy. Lin Fengmian was the principal, Lin Wenzheng was the dean, and Pan Tianshou and Wu Dayu were designated the director professor for the Chinese painting department and western painting department respectively. From then on, Hangzhou again became the key city of fine arts. Besides Cai Yuanpei, another pioneer Li Shutong started his fine art teaching practices too.
    Li Shutong (1880-1942), or Hongyi (his name in religion after he became a Buddhist priest), used go to Japan in 1905 to study in Shangye Fine Art Vocational School of Tokyo. In 1913, he became a fine art teacher in Zhejiang No. 1 Teacher's College. He opened sketch class, canvas class, watercolor class, designing class and woodcarving class, too. He was the first to give human body sketch and field sketch classes, and also the first Chinese to give Western Fine Arts History class with systematic course materials. Feng Zicai and Pan Tianshou were both his students.
    A loyal follower of Cai Yuanpei, Lin Fengmian contributed greatly to the modern fine arts of the country. In 1928, with the help from Cai Yuanpai, he established the Hangzhou National Art Academy and took up the post of the principal as well as the professor. Like Cai Yuanpei, he was for communication and coexistence of Chinese and western arts. The Academy cultivated many accomplished artists like Liu Kaiqu, Li Kuchan, Li Keran, Wang Zhaowen, Wu Guanzhong and Zhao Wuji. His early works were mainly canvas paintings, such as Feeling The Way, Humanism and The Meaning Of Life. In 1947 he resigned office and devoted himself to the study of ink-and-wash paintings. In his artistic practice, he carried out his opinions to harmonize Chinese and western arts, and created a brand new genre of ink-wash paintings. His efforts opened up broad road for the development of Chinese modern paintings.
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Figures On Theatric Stages, by Lin Fengmian
    Artists such as Huang Binhong and Pan Tianshou tried to make new advances upon the inheritance of traditions. Hang Binhong came to Hangzhou in 1848 to be the professor of the National Arts Vocational School and later the Central Fine Arts Academy. His landscape paintings featured 'black, dense, thick and heavy'. He applied ink layer by layer so that brightness could be seen through the density. He wrote down his theories in books like Origins Of Yellow Mountain Painters, Talks About Paintings, An Outline Of Chinese Paintings and A Survey Of Ancient Seals.
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Waterfalls In The Yellow Mountain, by Huang Binhong
    Pan Tianshou (1897-1971) became the successor principal of the National Arts Vocational School in 1944. In 1959, he transferred to Zhejiang Fine Arts Academy and took the post of president there. His works achieved another peak after Wu Changshuo, Qi Baishi and Huang Tuhong. He excelled at freehand flower-and-bird, landscape paintings, and occasionally he would do figure paintings as well. His paintings could felt firmness out of hardness, and still tenderness out of firmness. He combined perfectly the traditional painting articles and the realistic subject themes and became more tactful in his late years. He produced paintings like Flowers In Mt.Yandang, The Rain Stops, The Golden Eagle, Mirroring The Moon, The Lower Part Of Dragon Pond, The Pines Of Mt. Huang and books like The Chinese Painting History, Chinese Calligraphy History. image

    In Zhejiang, famous modern Chinese painting artists came forth in large numbers. In addition to Huang and Pan, there were still Wu Fuzhi, Zhang Shuqi, Zhu Lesan, Gu Kunbo, Lu Yifei, Yu Rentian and Lu Yanshao.

Pine And Eagle, by Pan Tianshou - >

    Wu Fuzhi (1900-1977) used to be the professor for the National Art Vocational School and Zhejiang Fine Arts Academy. He was one of the five (the others being Pan Tianshou, Zhu Wenyun, Zhang Shuqi, Zhang Zhenduo) who set up the White Society in Shanghai to learn from each other by exchanging views. His works had a unique style that was unconventional and detached, such as Five Kinds Of Fruits, Chrysanthemums By The Fence, Inked Peonies, The Eagle, and Orchid And Bamboo. He also wrote books as A Survey Of Chinese Paintings and Ten Courses Of Chinese Paintings. Zhang Shuqi (1900-1957) was the representative of the flower-and-bird paintings. His works were simple but refined, beautiful but elegant. In 1941, his huge Chinese painting Hundred Pigeons was presented to the American Government as a national gift. His books included Chinese Style Paintings and My Way Of Painting. Zhu Lesan (1901-1984) was a student of Wu Changshuo. He was equally good at poetry, Chinese painting, and doing the seal script, especially Shi-Gu Script (inscriptions on drum-shaped stone blocks of the Warring States Period). He combined the several skills together, applied them into the flower-and-bird painting and made them look imposing and vigorous. Lu Yifei (1908-1997) was the professor of the National Fine Arts Academy and the consultant for the Xiling Seal Society. In his flower-and-bird works, he blended skills of both Chinese realistic painting and freehand painting. Especially after his seventies, he was distinct for his own style with the essence taken in from the Zhejiang school. His masterpieces were Booming Flowers And Full Moon, Spring In Countryside, Rosy Clouds Over Red City, and Long Tu Zhu. He was noted for his peony pictures, hence the nickname 'Lu Peony'. Yu Rentian (1908-1984) was an all-rounded artist who was especially good at appreciating works of seals, calligraphy and paintings. He mainly worked on cursive script for calligraphy and landscape for painting. He also wrote the book On Paintings. Lu Yanshao (1909-1993) used to be the professor and Zhejiang Fine Arts Academy and the head of Zhejiang Painting Academy. He excelled at landscape by adopting some new techniques invented himself and putting in his great affection of the real landscapes. Such could be found in his book My Meager Opinion About Landscape Painting. Tang Yun (1910-1994), together with Jiang Danshu and Pan Tianshou, started the Water Shield (a specialty in the West Lake) Society. He was good at flower-and-bird paintings, and had his own style in his later years.
    In the fifties, the 'New Zhejiang School Figure Painting' appeared represented by Fang Zengxian, Li Zhenjian and Zhou Changgu. They extended their influence to the whole country. As for subject matter, they usually added positive and optimistic meanings to characters and events in real life for typification. There were only a few figures in each picture, because the artists emphasized simple and concise compositions. Influenced by western style art, they stressed on basic sketch skills and the structure of the human body. But they still kept to use the traditional brush and ink. So it was the important feature of 'New Zhejiang School' to combine traditional expressive means with the modern figure content.
    Ma Heng, Zhang Zhongxiang and Sha Menghai were the successive directors of the Xiling Seal Society. Ma Heng (1881-1955) was the second director after Wu Changshuo. He devoted himself to archaeological studies of ancient inscriptions and was good at seal cutting. He followed the ancient styles, and made his seals simple and unsophisticated. His books included A Survey Of Chinese Inscriptions, On Inscriptions, A Collection Of Seals. Zhang Zhongxiang (1882-1965) was also the director of Zhejiang library in addition to the title as the director of the Xiling Seal Society. He wrote books such as Origin Of Calligraphy, My Calligraphy Works And Paintings. Ma Yifu (1883-1967) used to study in north America, Germany and Japan in 1903. As the professor of Zhejiang University and the director of Zhejiang Arts and History Academy, he wrote many treatises and called 'the master of Confucianism, Buddhism and philosophy' He was a versatile calligrapher and did equally well in seal cutting. His existing book was My Seal Cutting. Yu Shaosong (1883-1949) was a dedicated and all-rounded compiler of regional annals. He claimed to do best in calligraphy and second best in bamboo paintings. His books were Calligraphy And Painting, A Survey Of Chinese Paintings. Ma Gongyu (1892-1969) and Lu Weizhao were all famous painters and calligraphers with many great works. Sha Menghai (1900-1992) had many titles as the professor of Zhejiang Fine Arts Acedemy, the vice-president of China's Calligrapher's Association and the director of Xiling Seal Society. He based his calligraphy on seal script, official script and the inscriptions of ancient times, hence the imposing style. After his midlife, he did mostly cursive script which was onrushing in the flowing of the lines. His books were Series On Calligraphy, History Of Seals, My Calligraphy Collection, and Illustration Of Chinese Calligraphy History. Han Deng'an (1905-1976) was known for his sober and elegant seals and was the representative of the genre in modern seal circle.
   In the early years of the Republic of China, many accomplished cartoonists came forth, such as Zhang Jinguang, Qian Binghe and Shen Bochen. Zhang Jinguang (1885-1968) was unequivocal in his anti-Qing government political standings. From 1909 to 1911, he published his works on journals like Public Calls, Public Appeals and Democracy to show his views. Good-For-Nothing and Yuan Shicai Riding On Wooden Horse were his masterpieces. Qian Binghe used to publish a lot on Shanghai's Civil Rights Pictorial, Democracy Pictorial, Republic Daily and Shanghai Post. His master works were International Joint Dragon Lantern Festival and A Hundred Poses Of The Old Ape. Shen Bochen , together with his younger brother, Shen Xueren, started the first publication of China Shanghai Poker, which specialized in cartoons. The two brothers were also the main compiler and drawer for the journal. In his masterpieces like Battle Between North And South, The Incorrect But Reasonable Answer, and Overthrowing Cao, Lu and Zhang, he expressed his anti-imperialist and anti-feudalistic views. He learnt from the western cartoons, and adopted the use of pens for sketches. image
Feng Zikai’s cartoon
    Another unique cartoonist was Feng Zikai (1898-1975). In 1921, he went to Japan to study western style paintings. He started to publish his cartoons from 1925 and achieved great fame upon it. After liberation, he settled down in Hanghai. There he became the director of Shanghai National Paining Academy and the president of China Fine Arts Association, Shanghai Brancho. Zikai Cartoons was a collection of his works. The excellent Zhejiang cartoonists also included Ye Qianyu, Zhang Leping and Mi Gu. Ye Qianyu (1907-1994) began to work on cartoons from 1929. His Anecdotes Of Mr. Wang and Xiaochen's Stay In The Capital were very influential. But he later transferred to Chinese figure paintings and produced serial works like Po Luo Duo Dance, Meditation On The Past In Chang'an and illustrations for the novel Midnight. Zhang Leping used to be the chief editor of The Cartoon World. From 1936, he began to produce comic strips about a child named San Mao. The work aroused great interest among the readers. After the eight year long Anti-Japanese War, he published the long comic strips San Mao's Vagabond Life which caused even more responses. After liberation, he again characterized San Mao in his serials San Mao Joining The Army, San Mao Is Freed and San Mao Greets The Liberation, so he was called 'San Mao's father'. Mi Gu (1918-1986) studied in Hangzhou Art Vocational School in 1934, and transferred to Shanghai Art Vocational School the next year. It was there that he began his cartoon works. At the beginning of the Emancipation War, he published lots of cartoons about the current situation on newspapers. In 1947, he became the chief editor for the biweekly cartoon journal under Hongkang's Wenhui newspaper and took the post as the secretary general of The World Art Association. In 1950, he started a monthly journal Cartoons and assumed the chief editor position. His publications included Mi Gu's Selection Of Cartoons and Mi Gu's Collection Of Paintings.
    Li Shutong was the first to introduce canvas painting into Zhejiang. After him, there were famous painters like Lin Fengmian, Ni Yide, Chang Shuhong, Li Binhong, Dong Xiwen and Mo Pu. Ni Yide (1901-1970) went to Japan to study and was devoted to the study of new genres of arts and history. He decided to establish Juelan Society with Pang Xunqin and published A Survey Of Western Art, New Study Of Water Colors and History Of Western Fine Arts. After the Anti-Japanese War, he moved to Hangzhou together with the National Art Vocational School. In 1949, he was the first vice principal of the school. In 1958, he opened a canvas-painting workshop of his own. Chang Shuhong (1904-1995) went to France in 1927 and was admitted to the canvas-painting department of Lyons National Fine Art Vocational School. During his ten-year stay in France, he produced large number of works, many of which were exhibited and honored. He returned in 1936 and from image
A Sudden Big Change, by Chang Shuhong
1942, he was the director of the Dunhuang Art Research Institute. He devoted himself to the classification, reproduction and research of the frescos in Mogao Cave, and made great contribution to the preservation of the precious relic. He was an outstanding canvas painter who held many individual exhibitions of his own works. Li Binhong (1913-1986) went to Hongkong in 1931 to study canvas-painting as a student of Li Tiefu. In his life, he was the professor and vice president of Zhejiang Fine Art Academy and the vice chairman of Zhejiang Fine Art Association. His master works included We Fight For Justice, and The Nanchang Revolt. Dong Xiwen (1914-1973) also used to be a student of Hangzhou Art Vocational School. After liberation, he produced the great Founding Ceremony Of China. Later, he again painted important events about the revolution in his works, such as The Red Army Crossing The Marshes, Million Soldiers Crossing Yangzi River and The Liberation Of The Age Old Land. He achieved a lot for his great skills , precise composition and tactful combination of Chinese traditional painting and canvas painting. Mo Pu (1915-1996) used to be the professor and vice president and later president of Zhejiang Fine Art Academy. In times of war, he was mainly involved in doing picture posters and prints. His canvas works included The Swear, Call To Account, The Nanchang Revolt and Lu Xun and XiangLin's Widow. He made contribution to the Chinese modern fine art education.
    Zhejiang modern sculpture started from the early 20th century when the overseas students introduced western sculpture into China. In 1928, Li Jinfa returned and was employed as the head of Sculpture department of Hangzhou National Art Academy. He began to teach western sculpture techniques and cultivated many talents. The famous sculptors were Zhou Qinding, Cheng Manshu, Liu Kaiqu, Lu Hongji and Xiao Chunjiu.
   Zhou Qinding (1886-1984) went to Japan in 1926. In 1931, he moved to Paris and studied sculpture in the National Senior Fine Art School. There he produced works about common workers' miserable life, such as A Family Of Eight and The Stray Men. After liberation, he took the post as the professor and the director of sculpture department in the east college of the Central Fine Art Academy (the present China Fine Art Academy). From the sixties, he worked mainly on sculptures about animals. Cheng Manshu (1903-1961) had the same educational background and working experience as Zhou Qinding. With his solid basic skills in the area, he was one of the founders of modern Zhejiang School sculptures. His masterpieces were Woman's Body, Gir's Head Portrait and the most famous China People's Voluntary Army, which still stands in the No. Six Park of Hangzhou. Liu Kaiqu (1904-1993) used to study sculpture in the National Senior Fine Art School too in 1928. During his stay in France, he and Chang Shuhong initiated the overseas art association to introduce European paintings and sculptures into China. He returned in 1933 to be the head of the sculpture department of Hangzhou National Art Vocational School. There he produced the gigantic work The Monument of Heros in the Jan 28th Shanghai Battle Field of Anti-Japanese War. In 1953, he supervised the construction of Monument of People's Heroes, and finished the main-body embossment Cross YangZi River To Emancipate Whole China by himself. He was the president of east college of Central Fine Arts Academy and the director of China Art Gallery. His works were unique for he found his own way to blend Chinese traditional style with the western sculptures. Xiao Chuanjiu (1914-1968) was admitted to the sculpture department of Hangzhou Art Vocational School in 1929 and joined the woodcarving research association. In 1933, he went to study sculpture in the art Department of Japan University in Tokyo. After he returned to Hangzhou, he became the professor and head of Sculpture Department of Hangzhou National Art Vocational School and Zhejiang Fine Arts Academy successively. His works were precise, vivid, simple and straight, such as Protecting The Factory, Lun Xun, Landmine Battle, Lumbermen and huge embossment Nanchang Revolt on Beijing's People's Hero Monument.
    Zhejiang print had a long history. In the early thirties, Lu Xun initiated the 'new print movement', so many woodcarving associations appeared in Zhejiang like the 'Eighteen Art Society' 'Wild Wind Art Association' and 'Woodcarving Research Association' Many excellent artists came forth, such as Zhen Yefu, Zhang Yangxi, Zhang Huanjiang, Zhao Yannian and Xia Ziyi. Zhang Yangxi (1912-1964) was a teacher in the east college of Central Fine Arts Academy since 1949 and opened the print department in 1954. He became the head of the department as well as the vice chairman of Zhejiang Fine Arts Association. His masterpiece was The Market.
    After the fifties, under the guidelines that encourage variety, Zhejiang fine arts cultivated many excellent artists and works alike. Especially in the past 20 years since Opening Up, Zhejiang fine arts have an unprecedented boom. Artists, high-spirited and vigorous, keep exploring the new artistic fields and win world recognition.
(Writer & editor: Yu Dongdong, Translator: Zhang Ying)