Shi Lu (石鲁)

Shi Lu (石鲁)'s paintings are commonly exhibited auction previews in Hong Kong, but not so many as  Zhang Daqian (張大千), Qi Baishi (齐白石). You can see his paintings in several websites in the auction records (Ref at the end) .  I have tried to find some books on this Chinese painter but so far not very successful. His paintings are very unique, which is required to get an honorable name <great master(大师)> in Chinese painting world, and versatile in techniques. Uniqueness and versatility are sometimes contradict but integrate and enhance creativity in his case. I will translate some Chinese critics and comments on his paintings found in the internet into English to share the pleasure of appreciating and understanding his paintings. My personal comments will be inserted and added.

1) http://www.lingnanart.com/2013_ChineseMaster/ShiLu/Master_ShiLu_ch.htm

 
石魯 （1919－1982）

   其早期創作以版畫為主，五十年代開始轉向中國畫，於1959年創作的（轉戰陜北）是其創作歷程中具有轉折意義的作品。後與趙望雲一起創立長安畫派。文化大革命中遭受迫害，卻仍堅持不懈地探索中國畫革新的道路。

English translation
In his early art activities are mainly printmaking. In 1950's he started Chinese style painting and 轉戰陜北 (see below) made in 1959 was the turning point in his career. Then with Zhao Wangyun (趙望雲) he set up Zhang-An school. During Cultural Revolution he was criticized and persecuted but continued to pursue renovation of Chinese paintings.

   早期畫風偏於寫實，用筆堅實謹嚴，多畫革命題材。後期畫風趨逾奇崛勁健，常以華山和荷花為揮灑對象，筆力縱恣雄豪，寄寓心性的文人畫意味甚濃。在文革期間所做的多不加鈐印，而以朱砂畫印。其書法用筆如刀，隨意頓挫轉折，別具一格，對其話風亦甚有影響。

English translation
Early works were realistic. The use of brush is strict and rigid. Often used "Revolution" as a object. Later works became rather unusual in form but strong and often Mt Hua (華山) and lotus as an object. The brush stroke is xxx but show a trait of the spirit literati paintings (文人畫) at the same time.
During Cultural Revolution he mostly did not use a chop on his works but wrote his name with scarlet sand ink(朱砂). His calligraphy looks like Cuneiform Script and having his uniqueness. His narratives influenced in Chinese artists.

轉戰陜北
 

【名称】《转战陕北》

【作者】石鲁

【类别】中国名画

【年代】1959年

【时代】现代

【材质】】纸本

【文物现状】中国革命博物馆 = 中国国家博物馆（National Museum of China）

【规格】纵208厘米，横208厘米；

Brief biography

Shi Lu (石鲁)

Shi Lu (1919-1982) was born as Feng Yaheng in Renshou, Sichuan Province. He entered the Chinese Painting Department of the Dongfang Art School in Chengdu in 1934. In 1940 he went to Yan'an where he created woodcuts, New Year pictures and cartoons on revolutionary themes. He became a member of the Art Work Committee of the Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Area Art Association in 1944 and in 1948, he took up teaching at the Literature and Art Department of Yan'an University. In 1953, he became the head of Northwest Illustrated (Xibei huabao, 西北画报). He visited India and Egypt in 1956-1957, a trip that was to greatly inspire his further work. Acclaimed for his 1959 painting "Fighting in Northern Shaanxi", originally created for the Museum of the Chinese Revolution, he came under criticism for the same painting in 1964. This conflict with the art establishment would exacerbate during the Cultural Revolution.

Sources:

Shelley Drake Hawkes, "Summoning Confucius: Inside Shi Lu's Imagination", in Richard King (ed.), Art in Turmoil -- The Chinese Cultural Revolution, 1966-1976 (Vancouver: UBC Press, 2010), 58-90
Michael Sullivan, Modern Chinese Artists - A Biographical Dictionary (Berkeley, etc: University of California Press, 2006)
Zhongguo meishuguan (ed.), 中国美术年鉴 1949-1989 (Guilin: Guangxi meishu chubanshe, 1993) 

Shi Lu - My Selection - arranged at random ( I saw some of them in the auctions in Hong Kong in 2000-2014)






































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Ref. 
Shi Lu's chronology
http://www.gdmoa.org/zhanlan/zhanlandangan/2007/47/10244.jsp
Shi Lu's chronology and his works
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_6e9cf22d0106lhkf.html
Shi Lu's works
http://arts.tepapa.govt.nz/on-the-wall/fighting-in-northern-shaanxi/7548 (English)
http://www.ccpgssd.com/gallery/item_list.do?sid=1021&xlid=0&topage=1 
http://shilu.artron.net/works - shows many his works from the early stages




AAG