Qi Baishi, Stealing the Wine Vat, before 1957. Ink and wash painting. (Smithsonian) 

Stealing the Wine Vat is a painting by Qi Baishi and he used ink and wash painting. The image Baishi painted is very simple; a man is sleeping on a wine vat and has dropped his ladle. The painting is organized such that the image is in the bottom left and there is writing at the top right of the painting. The painting has no setting, and the scene is in stasis because the man appears to be deep in sleep. The relationship between the painting and the viewer is a comical one because the story that is depicted is a well-known comedic story in Ancient China. The image is ​​35.9 x 25.8 cm which is pretty small showing that the image may not be of a grand event, but instead a normal moment in time. The proportions of the painting are also true to life because the man doesn’t look much bigger than the vat of wine or ladle. The painting references a scene from a story in Chinese history where an official named Bi Zhuo, “was so drunk that he stumbled into a neighbor’s house and continued to drink from an urn of wine. Inebriated, he fell asleep next to it.” (Smithsonian: 1) The characteristics of the painting follow Qi’s style of playfulness and realism in art. Many of Qi’s works were designed to entertain the viewer with the whimsical side of art. Rather than making art about controversial or heavy topics Qi’s art inspired lightheartedness in the viewer. The realism in this painting contributes to this theme as well because Qi was amused by this story so he decided to tell the story as close to his imagination of it as possible. One of the reasons Qi was so successful is due to his accurate portrayal of events that many people witness because they relate easily to his style and point of view. 

References:

“Home.” n.d. YouTube. Accessed April 20, 2023. https://asia.si.edu/object/F1998.67/.

Feng Zikai’s “Valuable Spring (Youth)” is a beautifully composed ink painting on paper. Feng Zikai created lighthearted imagery of youth and children throughout his career from 1898-1975. These images all shared the simplistic but intentionally brushstroke style as seen above. This image was part of a series of many other springtime images where children and youth play and appreciate nature. Feng Zikai, titled the “artist of children” (Laureillard 2014: 47) frequently spoke about the importance of looking at the innocence of children as the proper way to live, stating that “they should be a source of inspiration for a better world.” (Laureillard 2014: 57).

“Valuable Spring (Youth)” utilizes simplistic brushstrokes to create whimsical characters that seem to capture the innocence of children and their view of the world. His caricatures would not hold much detail, but enough to convey the emotions of childlike joy. Feng Zikai depicts a young boy and girl, watering a growing tree with leaves gently blowing in the breeze. His brushstrokes are placed in a way that creates a natural movement that seems to perfectly represent the trees swaying in the breeze. The children are tending and nurturing the growing tree, and are shown to have gentle and upbeat expressions. They are also working together to complete the task of watering the young tree, which ties this image’s story together. There is an innocent connection between the figures, using their strength to enhance the world with nature. This image uses the concept of rebirth and nativity to make a statement about how we as people should be able to connect to nature and our childhood joy.

Feng Zikai had felt that innocence was lost as children grew up, and corruption would take that place. He believed that adults should view the world as a playground, a marvelous world to discover and kindle, just as children do. He also attempts to bring Buddhist ideology into his work instead of heavily political topics. Rather than creating works circling politics, he created works like these to display the meaning of being human. He depicts the connection between nature and humanity, creating imagery that was able to be enjoyed by a vast quantity of Chinese people, and ultimately stays relevant today.

Image source:

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201810/30/WS5bd7984aa310eff3032854a1_3.html

Bibliography:

Laureillard, Marie. Regret of spring: The child according to Feng Zikai. 2014.
Accessed April 20, 2023. https://hal.science/hal-00983929/document.

“Flowers of the Four Seasons” is a masterpiece by Zhang Daqian that showcases his talent and mastery of traditional Chinese ink and brush painting on paper. The painting is known for its vivid depiction of various flowers, each representing a season. In the upper left corner, you can see a blooming plum blossom, which is often associated with the winter season in Chinese culture because the flowers bloom in late winter, before the arrival of spring. On the upper right, there is a peach blossom, which is often associated with the spring season in Chinese culture because the flowers bloom in early spring, signaling the arrival of warmer weather and the start of a new growing season. In the lower left corner, there is a lotus flower, which is often associated with the summer season in Chinese culture because lotus flowers bloom in mid to late summer, when the weather is hot and humid. And in the lower right, a chrysanthemum, representing autumn because the flowers bloom in late summer to early fall, when the weather is starting to cool down.

The flowers are arranged in a way that creates a sense of movement, as if they are swaying in the wind. The color palette is also quite vibrant, with a mix of reds, pinks, blues, and greens creating a lively composition that is well balanced and harmonious. Each flower is depicted with a high degree of detail and realism, but also with a touch of stylization that adds to the overall aesthetic appeal. Zhang Daqian’s brushstrokes are expressive and fluid and his use of negative space gives the painting a sense of depth and perspective.

The symbolism of the flowers is also significant in Chinese culture. The plum blossom, for example, is a symbol of perseverance and hope, as the flowers are able to withstand the harsh winter weather and bloom early, signaling the arrival of a new year and new beginnings. The lotus flower symbolizes purity and enlightenment, as the flowers grow in muddy water but emerge clean and beautiful. The use of these flowers in the painting adds an additional layer of meaning and depth to the artwork.

• Huang, Y. (2018). A Study on the Aesthetic Conception of Zhang Daqian’s Landscape Paintings. Journal of Literature, History and Philosophy, 4(4), 113-116.
• Zhang, H. (2017). The Influence of the Four Seasons on Chinese Traditional Culture. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 5(6), 47-52.
• Fan, Y. (2019). Zhang Daqian and the “New Literati Painting Movement” in Modern China. Frontiers of History in China, 14(1), 69-85.

Xu Beihong. Wounded Lion. ink and color on paper. 1938. Beihong China Arts (https://beihongchinaarts.com/figure8/8-wounded-lion-2/)

In 1938, Xu Beihong created “Wounded Lion” as a tribute to the heroic spirit and patriotism of the Chinese people during the Anti-Japanese War. The painting portrays a wounded lion standing on a hillside with one of its front legs injured. The lion’s majesty and strength were weakened by the injury, but it still appeared to be strong and unyielding. Xu Beihong uses a large lion to represent China during wartime, standing tall with a bruised body, symbolizing the Chinese people in the war. Although they were hurt, they did not yield and remained strong and unyielding.

Xu Beihong applied shadows and bold brushstrokes in the delineation of the lion, contributing to the powerful momentum that burst from the lion in desperation. There is also an integration of firm and bold brushstrokes with the precise delineation of form, reflecting a mixture of Western realistic techniques in a traditional Guohua style. In other words, Xu Beihong retains the traditional characteristics of Guohua in terms of color and composition while adopting techniques from Western oil paintings. Much of this stems from Xu Beihong’s early European experience of studying Western art (Rule 2020: 103). The messages of Xu Beihong’s paintings during the Anti-Japanese War are about virtue, courage, and righteousness, reflecting the predicament of China at the time (Wong 2004: 33). As the Japanese incursion progresses in 1937, “Wounded Lion” echoes with the movement of anti-Japanese propaganda in society (Andrews and Shen 2012: 117).

Overall, “Wounded Lion” showcases Xu Beihong’s remarkable painting skills and deep understanding of the natural world. Through this painting, Xu Beihong expresses the inner tenacity and unyielding spirit of Chinese people during wartime by presenting the perseverance and vitality of animals in nature.

Bibliography

Andrews, Julia F. and Kuiyi Shen. The Art of Modern China. Berkeley, Los Angeles and London: University of California Press, 2012

Rule, Ted. 2020. “Pan Yuliang Xu Beihong and the Revolution in Chinese Art.” Quadrant, Apr 01, 100-105.

Wong, Ka F. “Reimaging China: history painting of Xu Beihong in early twentieth century.” PhD diss., 2004.

Chen, Qiulin. 2009. 陈秋林 Old Archway. Photography. 1000 plateaus gallery.

Chen Qiulin was born in Sichuan, China in the 1970’s. She is significantly younger than some of the artists we are researching. This is key in understanding what she is trying to express in her artwork, as the focus of her work is focused closer to modern day China. This piece along with several others are focused on her feelings around the Three Gorges Dam. The Three Gorges Dam is the largest dam in the world and supplies the largest hydroelectric plant in the world (“Three Gorges Dam, China.” 2009). The Three Gorges Dam also assisted in preventing severe flooding in the villages and cities below it. 

While this is an incredible accomplishment, it came at the cost of 1,300 villages being displaced and all nearby towns ending up under water. She explores her dilemma of feeling proud of a modern China while also feeling extreme remorse for her lost village. In this piece a female figure is dressed in a western style wedding dress standing in a forgotten, run down village. 

The archway above her is meticulously carved with drawings of people and Chinese characters. An ancient piece of China’s history is surrounded by trash. This is shining a light on forgetting tradition and the effects that it can have. The effect being the female standing in a western style dress, she stands out like a sore thumb in her own country. Chen Quilin frequently plays with the idea of things left behind and uses forgotten material in her sculptures. It is clear this town is forgotten, although at first glance it is not obvious the bride is forgotten as well. 

She is standing at the entryway of an old town, standing still, looking out. As if she is watching something, or someone. Her dress is still clean and brand new, suggesting her wedding just ended or never finished. There is no evidence in the picture as to why she is there, she could just be a symbol, the more likely option is she is a character standing in an old China representing some kind of departure. It could be between the old and the new or, a more simple answer, that she is watching her lover run from her. 

Chen’s pieces are not supposed to make complete sense to the viewer, since her pieces are all “related to [her] memories” (Chen Qiulin. 2013). The most important thing to understand about this piece is the disconnect between the new China and the old China.

Bibliography:

Chen, Qiulin. 2009. 陈秋林 Old Archway. Photography. 1000 plateaus gallery. https://www.1000plateaus.org/artists/30-chen-qiulin/works/1561-chen-qiulin-old-archway-2009/.

Chen, Quilin. 2013. Review of CHEN QIULIN 陈秋林 Interview by Monica Merlin. Tate.org. https://www.tate.org.uk/research/research-centres/tate-research-centre-asia/women-artists-contemporary-china/chen-qiulin.

‌Hung, Wu, Jason McGrath, and Stephanie Smith. 2008. Displacement : The Three Gorges Dam and Contemporary Chinese Art. Chicago, Il: Smart Museum Of Art, University Of Chicago. 56-81.

“Three Gorges Dam, China.” 2009. Earthobservatory.nasa.gov. June 8, 2009. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/38879/three-gorges-dam-china#:~:text=The%20Three%20Gorges%20Dam%20on.

Figure 1. Pan Yuliang, Self-portrait. Oil on canvas, (1963), 12 3/8″ x 10 1/8″. Image source: “The Art of Pan Yuliang: Fashioning the Self in Modern China.” 

Pan Yuliang’s last self-portrait, which she finished in 1963, encompasses her growth as an artist and showing her true self to the public. The oil painting, Self-portrait, is painted in bright, eye-catching colors of herself at the age of sixty-eight, wearing an open mandarin blouse that exposes her breasts, and with alcohol and cigarette buds in an ashtray on the table to her right. 

She was part of the May Fourth Movement of 1919. Its purpose was to break free of traditional practices, leading to the Modernist movement (until the 1940s). This incorporated Western-style oil paintings, included color, and rejected traditional ways. Her previous nude paintings break Chinese tradition because it was seen as an act of perversion and betrayal of art, however; this image takes it a step further by portraying a nude, old woman smoking and drinking alone. Elders were painted “…with respect and honour…” (Teo 2016: 97). Along with being painted in muted or calm colors to help emphasize their poise. Pan utilized bright and jarring colors to break free of the conventional way of painting elders. To specify, she painted the background red to help contrast the rest of the colors in the painting. The red not only creates an intense atmosphere but also highlights the green on her mandarin blouse which draws the viewer from her blouse to her nude body. This signifies to the viewer that she no longer cares about the social aspects of the crude representation of nudity. In doing so she completely sets herself free of social judgments.  

Another way Pan signifies her lack of care for social judgments is her somber expression that directs the viewer to the liquor and cigarette buds. This is extremely significant because alcohol and cigarettes “…were depicted as glamorous and joyful” (Ng 2019: 27). So to depict alcohol and cigarettes as a means of despair breaks the social constraints. This symbolizes Pan letting go of the social perceptions she experienced as an artist. To add, Pan uses this painting to express her deep sadness and loneliness after losing her husband, Pan Zanhua (1885-1960). Her ability to do this exemplifies her vulnerability as a person and artist.

Pan Yuliang’s Self-portrait is a means of freedom and sorrow. Although she was able to fully express herself in her artwork, she became isolated from the world. This was because of her background as a prostitute, orphan, and concubine, and the negative stigma around female nude painters. 

Bibliography:

Ng, Sandy. “The Art of Pan Yuliang: Fashioning the Self in Modern China.” Woman’s Art Journal 40, no. 1 (2019): 21–30. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26746738.

Teo, Phyllis, et al. Rewriting Modernism: Three Women Artists in Twentieth- Century China: Pan Yuliang, Nie Ou and Yin Xiuzhen. Leiden University Press, 2016.