At the request of the client, I will briefly introduce this painting-Xu Beihong.
I'm afraid the number of painters in China can't be counted. There is a thick book about 10,000 famous painters in the art yearbook 1949 to 1989. But those who are really famous and well-known are Xu Beihong and Qi Baishi. (Details) Other painters, including Huang's generation, are only known in the art world, while more than 90% of them are not even known in the art world. According to Liang Jiang's "Guangzhou Art Market Survey, one of the quantitative research achievements of China", they launched an interview survey among Guangzhou citizens, and came to the conclusion that Xu Beihong was more famous, followed by Guan Shanyue, a painter who was still alive in Guangzhou at that time and often appeared in TV and newspapers. Once again, Qi Baishi, who died 40 years ago. (See Jiangsu Pictorial 1995 1 1, p. 52) The author has also made extensive investigations in Jiangsu, with Xu Beihong being more famous, followed by Qi Baishi.
Xu Beihong paints.
Xu Beihong is an all-round artist, proficient in Chinese and western arts, and has made great achievements in sketching, Chinese painting, oil painting, poetry and calligraphy. But it is an acknowledged fact that the achievement of sketch is higher. Among Xu Beihong's existing works, the number of sketches is the largest. The realism advocated by Xu Beihong is also based on sketch. Therefore, Xu Beihong pays special attention to the study and training of sketch.
Tian Heng 500 Scholars 1928-30 197x349cm Oil Painting Canvas Xu Beihong Memorial Hall
He said in a speech at China University of the Arts. One of the steps to learn a painter is sketching, which is our basic knowledge and the only form of painting. If the sketch is poor, you can't see the objects and images clearly, and the color is at a loss. Therefore, those who lack sketch time, no matter how beautiful the color is, are actually flooded, almost equal to no color. ? (Fifteen years, giving a speech at China University of the Arts) He added:? Sketch plays an important role in art education, just like building a house and laying a foundation. If the foundation of the house is not well laid, the house will not be built. Even if it is barely built, it will not be reliable and will soon be supported. Therefore, learning art must start with sketching, otherwise it is impossible to learn. Even if you learn to draw a few strokes, it's not a donkey or a horse. It's beyond recognition. ? (seventeen years, university lecture)
Sketch occupies a lofty position in Xu Beihong's mind. He went to France on March 19 19 and began his eight-year study in Europe. His main energy is spent on sketching. Xu Beihong's sketch is a western thing, which generally refers to drawing the structure, light and shade of an object with a pencil, charcoal pen and other single colors to create accurate and true shapes (including expressions). In ancient China? White painting? That is to say, the shape of the object is outlined with ink lines, mainly with outlines, and some are slightly rendered with light ink to show its three-dimensional sense. The main means of line drawing is line drawing, which is different from western sketch. Sketch has different functions, but it is mainly to exercise modeling ability. Before going to Europe, Xu Beihong had studied Wu Youru's line drawing and watercolor painting, and he had a good modeling ability. However, it was after he went to Europe in 19 19 that he formally studied western painting sketch.
Tagore and Xu Beihong
When Xu Beihong was studying in Europe, he painted fewer oil paintings than sketches. This is because he thinks that sketch is the foundation of all plastic arts, and he must make great efforts to learn sketch first; Secondly, he is short of money in Europe, so sketching is more economical than painting. Nevertheless, he painted a lot of oil paintings in Europe and studied the oil painting techniques of European realistic painting school in a solid way. Thick and simple. Moreover, each work shows accurate sketching skills, rigorous and precise structural points, and completely grasps the realistic painting method, which is higher than that of ordinary painters and no less realistic than that at that time. His oil paintings also show that his ideas are extensive and subtle. 1927 After Xu Beihong returned to China, his oil painting style gradually changed. When Xu Beihong was in Europe, influenced by the environment and European culture, his oil paintings had an authentic European oil painting atmosphere. After returning to China, he was more engaged in the creation of Chinese paintings, bringing the lines and colors in Chinese paintings into his oil paintings, which had an impact on his oil paintings.
Xu Beihong wrote The Portrait of Tagore.
Because of his long-term experience in sketching and oil painting, Xu Beihong first applied the human anatomy he learned in France and the human structure painting he understood to Chinese painting. He always outlines the structure and relationship of human body with lines, and then draws it with lines and colors of Chinese painting. This is also noteworthy in the history of China's painting. Before Xu Beihong, painters in China were all figures, and their arms and legs were rarely depicted by lines. Xu Beihong integrated the methods of Chinese painting and western painting, which was the first of a generation. His creation has also been practiced? Those who are good at the ancient law can keep it, stick to it, those who are not good at it can change it, and those who are insufficient can add it. Can painting be combined? This idea. At this point, Xu Beihong's figure painting is completely different from the ancients. He created a brand-new Chinese painting with the fashion of the times, which influenced an era. Actually, it's not that Xu Beihong can't draw Chinese painting. He has a deep book background.
1930 "Cat" presented by Xu Beihong to Xu Zhimo
Xu Beihong has made great efforts in figure painting. In the history of China painting, the latest and most distinctive Chinese painting figures were put forward by Xu Beihong. Sketch is the foundation of all plastic arts? At first, he painted horses, especially horses in the world. When people mention Xu Beihong, they will think of him drawing horses. When it comes to drawing horses, you will think of Xu Beihong. Generally speaking, impartial critics and painters agree that Xu Beihong's Chinese paintings are more successful with animals and birds as their themes, among which horse painting is more representative.
Xu Beihong's Ten Horses in Spring sold for10.05 billion yuan. This is Xu Beihong's best painting.
Paintings on horseback have existed since ancient times. The horses on the brick and stone reliefs in the Han Dynasty are quite vivid, but there are only general trends, no details and pen and ink. In the Tang Dynasty, Caoba and Korea were the best paper silk horses. He sketched it with fine and smooth lines, then rendered it with light ink and then colored it. Painters after them, as well as painters in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, also used them. Xu Beihong, on the other hand, started from a generation ago, sketched the trunk of a horse with Wei Bei's calligraphy style, and at the same time showed his charm. Then, he painted the tail and mane with big strokes, and then rendered it with ink and wash, with pen and ink, instead of the western color method and watercolor brush method. Later, he painted horses, all of which were running or standing wild horses. The lines were smoother and the pen and ink were more natural and unrestrained, which reflected foreign paintings? Write? The spirit, from the horse's dynamics to the horse's paintings, is very vivid. Xu Beihong pioneered the style of freehand horse, and few people who followed him were not influenced by him.
Besides calligraphy, some people say that Xu Beihong's books are better than his paintings. Of course, the two cannot be compared. Strange to say, Xu's paintings are full of new ideas, and Xu's calligraphy is full of ancient meanings. Under the guidance of Kang Youwei, he studied Wei Bei in his early years, and later studied Han Li, Da Xiaozhuan, Oracle Bone Inscriptions and the inscriptions of the Six Dynasties. He learned everything and eventually formed his own personal style. Its bold and unrestrained, muddy weather, superb brushwork, majestic momentum, natural structure and flying spirit are unparalleled. There is no denying Xu Beihong's achievements in calligraphy except those who don't know calligraphy.
Xu Beihong's masterpiece "A Mountain of Yugong" took three months to complete.
As for poetry and prose, only a few people are great painters and can be called poets, such as Qi Baishi and Xu Beihong. Xu Beihong's poem, try "Ink Pig": Young people have also tried to stab stocks, not just walking empty-handed. There's nothing to be proud of in begging for the spirit. ? Xu Beihong has feelings in his heart and is eloquent. When he meets a painter, he can write poems on the spot and give them to each other. For example, "To Zhao Shaoang": There are successors in the southern part of the painting school, and there are few flowers and birds. Autumn wind permeates the old riders, brilliant and envious. ? To Qi Baishi (one of the four songs)? Smoke filled, where is the fragrance spirit? The most important thing is to look back, the autumn wind is blowing. ? Although it is an entertaining work, it is quite poetic. At that time, it was very rare for painters to do this.
Xu Beihong's The Wounded Lion (1938)
Next, let's go back to Xu Beihong's "Zodiac Map".
What should we know first when studying Xu Beihong's Zodiac Map? Zodiac killer. What is this? And related knowledge. ? Zodiac killer. Namely: rats, ugly cows, silver tigers, rabbits, dragons, snakes, afternoon horses, sheep, monkeys, chickens, dogs and porcupines. Rats are children, cows are ugly, and so on. Twelve kinds of animals are used to mark a year. The Year of the Rat is followed by the Year of the Ox, followed by the Year of the Tiger and the Year of the Rabbit. It is called the zodiac because someone was born in a certain year. If you were born in the year of the rat, you are a mouse, if you were born in the year of the ox, you are a cow, and so on. When did this statement begin? Yang Shen of Amin Dynasty (Sheng 'an) said in Yiling Mountain-Twelve Genus:? Mice and ugly cows belong to 12 genera. Zhu said they didn't know where to start. I think it is natural for the world, and non-human beings can do it. ? Because of Yang Shen's research, it is said that even the most learned Zhu was at a loss. And Yang Shen's explanation is empty, which means there is no explanation. Yang Shen is Amin, so at least that's what people say. Kunqu Opera "Fifteen Levels" Scene 7:? Rat is the first of the 12 Zodiac, isn't it the end of disaster? ? Have you made it clear? Zodiac killer. Said. ? Zodiac killer. Also called? Twelve genera? . Tang Liping's Supplement to Tang Shi says:? Leaves and mice belong to twelve genera. What's so strange about them? ? According to archaeological knowledge, twelve pottery figurines were unearthed from Niujiaotang Tomb in Tang Dynasty. Twelve kinds of animals, such as rats, cows, tigers and rabbits, are dressed like people and have survived to this day. Moreover, there are many unearthed pottery figurines of the Chinese zodiac in the Tang Dynasty, which are displayed in many museums. It shows that the theory of twelve phases existed in the Tang Dynasty and was very common. Look at the 56th volume of the Collection of Literature and Art again. Shen Jiong, a poet in the Southern Dynasties, wrote twelve subordinate poems:
In the case of mice and dust, cattle and sheep came down at dusk.
Tigers roared in the empty valley, and rabbits opened their windows.
The dragon ridge is far green, and the snake willow lingers near.
Ma Lanfang is far away, and the sheep bear the spring.
The monkey chestnut shames the fragrant fruit, and the chicken feet lead the clear cup.
Dogs have their own business, but the windows of pigs are leisurely.
It seems that there is a saying that the twelve phases belong to each other in the Southern Dynasties, which is earlier than the Tang Dynasty.
In fact, Zhao Yi, a Qing Dynasty man, was right in "An Examination of Jade Cong"? Twelve genera? There are special textual research. He said:? Yes, the theory of twelve days is uncertain, but it is only based on the year and month of the calendar. Shen Lu's Essays on Spring Breeze Hall is said to have originated from northern customs. It's better to put it this way. In the Book of the Tang Dynasty, Tuoba Siguo took twelve things as the standard. If a year is a cloudy year, it is called the Year of the Tiger. ? Zhao Yi's statement is more credible. Ethnic minorities in the north have not received a good education. They marked the years with twelve things, and also recorded their age. With the great integration of the Han Dynasty, northerners entered the Central Plains, and Zhao Yi continued his textual research. The idea of stealing the country originated in Beiguan. In the Han Dynasty, Han people were called to live in Wuyuan, where they lived together with Qi people, so it spread to China. ? The Han Dynasty flowed into the Central Plains (China). Zhao Yi concluded: The zodiac originated in the later Han Dynasty. ? My estimate may be a little early. Because Wang Chong (27-97), a thinker at the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty, wrote in his book Lun Heng, Volume III, "Things:? In the afternoon, there are horses, mice, chickens and rabbits. Water is better than fire. Why don't mice chase horses? Jin Shengmu, why don't chickens peck rabbits? Hai Jian, no sheep, ugly cow. Soil is better than water, why don't cattle and sheep kill jackals? Snakes are monkeys, too. Fire is better than gold. Why don't snakes eat monkeys? ? Wang Chong said this, indicating that he said it a long time earlier than Wang Chong. There are 80 volumes of Chinese for Later Generations written by Cai Yong, and there are also related records. Zhao Yi also verified that the twelve phases belong to the cloud in the Jade Cong Kao. Heaven, birds, earth and heaven are separated. Twelve days are marked by discipline, while seven days are unified and are the beginning of twelve days. ? The zodiac is used to remember the year and time. For example, from 23: 00 to midnight 1, ugly, 1 to 3: 00, one hour is equivalent to two hours now. In fact, it was one of the twelve animals used to record people's year, time, birth and age when the culture of northern minorities was not high at that time. It was introduced into the Central Plains at the end of the Western Han Dynasty or the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and it has spread to this day. Continue to introduce Vietnam, Japan, etc.
Why does Xu Beihong draw the zodiac? In addition, he advocates that painting should be natural. Sketch is the foundation of all plastic arts. The dragon in the zodiac doesn't exist in reality. How can we learn from it? Let's look for evidence from Xu Beihong's paintings.
Xu Beihong is here? Chicken? A picture says:? In winter, I wrote it sadly. ? This year is the right time. The year of yiyou is 1945. Are you online? Sea pig? On the screen, Xu Beihong asked himself:? Yi You's Winter Solstice was written by Hong Bei. ? The winter solstice in Yiyou is 1 1 month 18, which is1945+February 22nd. Are you online? Dogs? In the picture, Xu Beihong wrote another book:? Hong Bei wrote at the China Art Institute. ? Are you online? Rats? In the picture, Xu Beihong wrote another book:? In the winter of 34, I was sad and lived in Panxi. ? Reading classics is serious. Other textual research was shelved. Just from these twelve pictures, we can know that this set of zodiac pictures was drawn by Xu Beihong at Panxi Chinese Academy in the winter solstice of thirty-four years,194565438+February 22nd (or a few days before and after).
Panxi is located in the suburb of Chongqing, Sichuan Province, and the Chinese Academy of Art is built in Shi Jia Temple of Panxi Shi Jia Garden. According to textual research, this is a house built on the mountain, all made of stone. Going out is a bluestone road, which goes down the mountain to Jialing River. Jiang Biwei also said in his book "I am sad with Hong" that Panxi was opposite the university at that time, and the scenery was beautiful, beautiful and elegant.
Why did Xu Beihong study in Chongqing Panxi Jianzhong Institute of Technology during 1942 and 10? Because of the Japanese invasion of China, from August 1937 to February 12, the government moved from to Wuhan. After the invasion of Guangzhou, it moved from Wuhan to Chongqing on June 1938+00. Chongqing became the capital at that time, and universities and other schools moved to Chongqing.
Xu Beihong also arrived in Chongqing. Later, he went to Guiyang, Guizhou, Kunming, Yunnan, Guilin and Nanning, Guangxi, and then went to Singapore, Guangzhou, Guangzhou and Chongqing to teach at universities there. At this time, the head of the art department is his student Lv Sibai. Xu Beihong travels to and from Kunming, Guiyang, Guilin and Chongqing. 1In late June, 942, Xu Beihong returned to Chongqing from Kunming. The teachers and students of the university warmly welcomed him. He teaches in the university.
During the period of 65438+ 10, with the help of Zhu Jiahua and others, Xu Beihong used the money returned by China, Britain and boxer indemnity to establish a research-oriented China Academy of Sciences, with Xu Beihong as its president. Since then, he has created here, painting both oil paintings and Chinese paintings. Here, he met Liao appointed by Guilin to the university library. A few years later, he became Liao's lifelong companion.
Self in Xu Beihong's Painting and Jiang Biwei
But Xu Beihong's family life at that time was not like this. Jiang Biwei, his wife, had been at odds with him, and Jiang Biwei had already had another male friend, which eventually led to the divorce of Xu and Jiang. Before the formal divorce, Jiang Biwei asked Xu Beihong for huge living expenses and one hundred paintings. The divorce signing ceremony was held in Shapingba, Chongqing on June1945+February 3 1. Therefore, around February 22nd, 65438, Xu Beihong was busy making some of these 100 paintings. The picture of the zodiac was drawn under such circumstances, and it may have been named by Jiang Biwei. At that time, Liao took care of Xu Beihong's life, and Liao helped him draw this picture. Liao also liked this set of paintings, and later asked Xu Beihong to draw another set, but it never came out. The horses, cows and chickens in the paintings are often painted by Xu Beihong. But snakes, mice, monkeys, especially dragons, Xu Beihong never painted. It can be seen that I had to draw it at the request of Jiang Biwei. Feeling urgent? It is also a kind of motivation. Li Guang turned the stone into a tiger by mistake. His arrow missed the feather stone, you should know, right? Tiger? In fact, when it is a stone, your arrow can't get into it. Xu Beihong's painting "Zodiac Map" is similar.
In the early 1950s, Xu Beihong and his wife Liao took a group photo in Beihai Park.
It is also common to do things that you can't usually do in a hurry.
The dogs, pigs, cows, tigers, sheep and rats in the picture are all dazzling, especially dragons and gardens, all of which appear intentionally or unintentionally? Angry? Words. At least, twelve kinds of animals have uncomfortable expressions. Can it reflect the painter's mood at that time?
It happened that Qi Baishi also drew a set of zodiac pictures. Only one set of Qi Baishi's zodiac books published by Tianjin Fine Arts Publishing House is authentic, and the rest are fake. ) is also the only set of zodiac books painted by Qi Baishi in his life. Because Qi Baishi also stated that he never painted anything he had never seen before. He specifically mentioned that he had never seen a dragon, so he never painted one. But when he draws the zodiac, he draws dragons. Why did he draw the ecliptic? Because Ding Chou was 75 years old at (1937), the fortune teller once said that he was? Ding Chou-nian lost his luck and made it. ? And then what? A well-off society has its own expectations. ? But? But ugliness and punishment punish each other, and there is a fly in the ointment. ? The fortune teller taught him the method and said, It is more appropriate to use the method of falling from the sky to the sea. This year's 75, delicious is called 77, because it escaped the 75- 1 ? Qi Baishi did it one by one It is announced that he is 77 years old. Go through it, him? Wealth? 、? Xiaokang? In sight, so he was happy, so he drew a set of "Zodiac Books" to commemorate this event and his happy mood. At the end of the picture:? Ding Chou loved to draw zodiac books in his early years and felt that time was too fleeting. Qi Huang. ? Because? Like drawing a zodiac book? So all the animals in the picture have it. This is different from Xu Beihong's painting. We can see dogs, monkeys, snakes and dragons in Qi Baishi's paintings, and other animals also show Baishi's comfortable mental state. I also publish some paintings in Qi Baishi's zodiac pictures here, which can be compared with Xu Beihong's zodiac pictures for appreciation and research. Xu Beihong and Qi Baishi's artistic conception, modeling, pen and ink level, etc. It can be seen in the comparison. (see attached figure)
Xu Beihong's modeling ability was unparalleled at that time, far surpassing Qi Baishi. Is he advocating realism in painting? Vivid? But he is a vivid master, these twelve paintings, both in form and spirit. Moreover, dogs, sheep, pigs and so on. Can be regarded as a special variety. This is inseparable from Xu Beihong's usual emphasis on research and excellent skills.
Xu Beihong's lines are also unusual. He practiced calligraphy, learned tablets and practiced calligraphy in his early years. His books, with steles as the body and posts as the rhyme, have a lofty atmosphere and strong brushwork, which are used in painting, especially the dogs, tigers and horses in his paintings.
Although this book "Zodiac Map" is a book? Feeling urgent? In the works, you can still see the artist's wonderful ideas. For example, it is difficult to draw a snake well because it is too simple. Lu Xun said that although the subject matter is not important, it is not absolutely unimportant. For example, if a painter only paints all his life, it is impossible to become a great painter. The snake in Qi Baishi's Zodiac Map also added some grass, but it was still too simple. Xu Beihong painted the snake on the branches, and the branches and leaves helped to compose the picture, which enriched the snake picture and enhanced the appreciation. Dragons don't exist, but loong exists in people's hearts. Qi Baishi's painting of a dragon walking on the ground is too simple. Xu Beihong painted dragons in thick clouds and dense fog, half hidden and half present, spitting water, which is very rich.
In a word, Xu Beihong's Zodiac Map is different from Tu Tu's, with ingenious conception, both form and spirit, and flexible pen and ink, which is a set of works with special value.
July 3, 20041,I regret it.
Brief introduction of Chen Chuanxi
Chen Chuanxi, Ph.D., Professor of China University, Doctoral Supervisor, Special Contribution Expert, Director of Art Research Institute of China University, and Deputy Director of Theoretical Society of China Artists Association. He used to be a researcher at Hance University and a visiting professor at Malaya University. In 2022, he won the badge of "Honorary Citizen of Paris".
Published academic works include: Study on Painting Theory in Six Dynasties (Edition, Edition, *** 13), History of Landscape Painting in China (Edition, 15), History of Painting Thought in China, History of Painting Aesthetics in China (selected in the 20th Century China Library) and Collected Works of Chen Chuanxi. Sculpture roll? He is the author of more than 50 works, such as Xiangtangshan Grottoes (Up and Down), How China Art Affects the World, Chen Hongshou Collection (Dianben, Zhonghua Book Company), Later Regret (Zhonghua Book Company), Painting Notes (Hong Kong and Taiwan Edition of Sanlian Publishing House) and Chen Chuanxi Painting Collection, some of which have been translated into foreign languages and published abroad. He has published more than a thousand articles on cultural relics, art research, art and art studies. According to the statistics of the authoritative art circle Fine Arts, the research intensity of Chen Chuanxi ranks first in China. He is called "the father of modern art history research" by many young scholars at home and abroad.
Professor Chen Chuanxi has both history and theory, dabbling in literature and poetry. He attaches importance to tradition in his calligraphy and painting creation, and his style is elegant and bookish. Xie once said: "Our painting is a peak of contemporary literati painting." Soviet Pictorial once made a special report. Cha Wazka, the most famous sinologist in the Soviet Union and a researcher in China's art history, once wrote: "There are three schools of modern painting in China, the modernist school climbs too high, the New literati paintings school gets too close, and the Chen Chuanxi school stands farthest. Chen Chuanxi's paintings are quiet, implicit and poetic, with high style and vulgar taste. It is a higher contemporary literati painting. "
The above is related to 197, which is about Xu Beihong's sharing. After reading 197, I hope it will help everyone!