Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Shi Lu (石鲁) - 3, His paintings in chronological order


I recently found one good website - http://www.gdmoa.org/zhanlan/zhanlandangan/2007/47/10244.jsp.
It show Shi Lu (石鲁)'s  paintings in chronological order but in Chinese. In some websites like domestic auction records his paintings are usually shown with a Chinese title except some master pieces.  Shi Lu left a fairly large amount of good works for us to show his skills and spirits. Shi Lu's paintings have universal values and should be explained in more in English, good English. I will try this as much as possible for art lovers as well as for me to understand and appreciate his art works more.


Chinese:From http://www.gdmoa.org/zhanlan/zhanlandangan/2007/47/10244.jsp.
English translations, explanations, comments and opinions:by sptt



石鲁年表 Shi Lu Chronology


1919年(己未)
12月13日,出生在四川省仁寿县文公乡松林湾冯姓大家族,取名冯亚珩,字永康。
清 末,高祖冯家驹从原籍江西景德镇到四川经商发财,定居仁寿县,传至曾祖冯敬德,祖父冯鹿荪收买田产雇工务农,有土地千倾,庞大的庄园和万卷藏书的藏书楼, 成为当地大地主家族。父亲冯子融是祖父七个儿子中的长子,母亲王氏出身书香门第,是简阳书法大家王国桢之女。家中子女五人,大哥冯伯麟,二哥冯建吴,三哥 冯伯琴,姐冯湘蘅。在祖父当家的大家族里,冯亚珩在家族同辈中排行老九。晚年有印章为“冯门九子”自称。



1925年(乙丑)6岁
祖父冯鹿荪恪守诗书传家的家风,对子孙教育投入大量心力,他操办的家塾远近闻名,曾不惜 重金聘请仁寿县知名学者担任教席,冯家子弟多发蒙家塾,冯亚珩6岁至15岁在家读私塾,九年间熟读《说文》《尔雅》《诗经》《左传》《四书五经》《古文观 止》《古诗源》,及唐诗宋词等,为他打下了较为深厚的中国传统文化基础。
冯氏家族规模庞大的宅院经过四`五代人用近百年的时间不断修建,直到冯亚珩十几岁时工程仍在继续,院内有古典传统式的老房,也有中西合壁的中西式洋房,还有座五脊檩飞檐凌空的戏楼,装饰精美,画栋雕梁 。冯亚珩特别喜欢与工匠,雕刻艺人在一起看他们干活。冯家的藏书楼历经三代人的苦心积累藏量甚丰,古籍善本有万余卷,不仅经,史,子,集俱全,还收藏有大量碑帖拓本,字画文物.。少年时代的冯亚珩酷爱绘画,经常偷偷钻进藏书楼摹画临帖, 希望也能象二哥冯建吴一样去学画画。



1934年(甲戌)15岁
二哥冯建吴青年时代在上海就读于吴昌硕等海派画家开办的“上海昌明艺专”,曾师承于王 一亭,王个簃,诸闻韵,冯君木,潘天寿等诸位名家,在传统中国画领域的诗,书,画,印诸门类中都受到严格的训练。后回成都筹资联友创办“东方美术专科学 校”,任教务长兼国画系主任,曾邀请黄宾虹入川执教产生过不小的影想。在他的竭力主张下,母亲终于同意冯亚珩学画画的要 求。                 
夏,冯亚珩进入成都“东方美专”中国画系学习,成为该校年龄最小的学生。



1935年(乙亥)16岁
在“东方美专”开始接受系统的专业绘画训练,临摹大量传统水墨画,同时接触西洋绘画技巧。由于他对绘画的悟性和执着,一年后学业成绩名列前茅。



1936年(丙子)17岁
在新思想,新知识影响下,开始阅读鲁迅、巴金等人的新文学作品,并崇尚石涛、八大山人的绘画风格,萌发独辟蹊径的艺术观。
第一次去峨嵋山写生,二十多幅写生画稿显示出他追求新意的开端。
冬,祖父冯鹿荪病逝。



1937年(丁丑)18岁
毕业于“东方美专”中国画系,回家乡仁寿县文公镇县立小学任美术教员。“卢沟桥事变”后,组织学生宣传抗日救亡活动。



1938年(戊寅)19岁
年初,到成都借读于华西协和大学文学院历史社会学系,学习政治经济学和社会学。阅读了学生们传看的抗日救亡小册子和共产党的油印宣传读物。
夏,父亲冯子融病逝。

年初,到成都借读于华西协和大学文学院历史社会学系,学习政治经济学和社会学。阅读了学生们传看的抗日救亡小册子和共产党的油印宣传读物。
夏,父亲冯子融病逝。

2月,决心奔赴延安参加抗日。为得到一笔路费,同意母亲提出与张艾如完婚便可拿到下学期学费的条件,成亲三日后,离家出走。从棉竹买了辆旧自行车只身骑赴陕西。
3月,到达西安,在七贤庄八路军驻西安办事处短暂逗留,被介绍到三原县安吴堡青年训练班学习。
6月,被派到宜川第二战区民族革命大学前锋剧团工作,任戏剧宣传股长。自编自导宣传抗日的活报剧,还承担了舞美和道具。
12月,在剧团党组织安排下秘密前往延安。



The events of the year of 1939 is missing in the original Chinese.



1940年(庚辰)21岁
元月,到达延安,进入陕西公学学习,编入五十八队。改名石鲁。开始系统阅读马列主义书籍,由于善于思考善于争论被推举为马列主义课代表。在陕北公学的业余剧团担任舞美和化妆,后又任陕北公学学生会的宣传委员。
9月,西北文艺工作团成立,进入该团工作。



1941年(辛乙)22岁
任西北文艺工作团美术组组长,舞台美术设计并自己动手制作道具布景,制作颜料。
画了大量素描速写。在王朝闻的影响下作过雕塑。



1942年(壬午)23岁
11月7日,与西北文艺工作团女演员闵力生结婚。



1943年(癸未)24岁
参加中央党校三部整风运动,之后留在党校创作党史连环画。
9月,长子石头出生。



1944年(甲申)25岁
调入陕甘宁边区文化协会美术工作委员会,从事美术创作和普及宣传工作。
以民间“拉洋片”的形式创作说唱展示相结合的连环画。

《桑山诗画》连环画稿之一

《桑山诗画》连环画稿之一



1945年(乙酉)26岁
开始创作木刻版画。
春,次子石子出生。



1946年(丙戌)27岁
7月6日,加入中国共产党。
创作木刻版画《群英会》、《改造西洋景》等作品。



1947年(丁亥)28岁
在绥德义合镇参加土改。
8月,调回西北文工团工作,任宣传股长。
参加转战陕北战争。
冬,次子小石子在转移中病死于黄河边上。



1948年(戊子)29岁
4月,延安收复后调延安《群众日报》社,主编《群众画报》。
创作木刻版画《胡匪劫后》、《民主评议会》等。



1949年(己丑)30岁
年初,调延安大学文艺系任美术班主任。
7月,赴北京参加第一届全国文艺工作者代表大会,当选中华全国美术工作者协会执行委员。
调陕甘宁边区文化协会创作部工作,并随文协迁居西安。
创作木刻版画《妯娌俩》、《说理》、《打倒封建》等作品。
10月,三儿子石嘉在西安出生。

石鲁《打倒封建》 25x18cm 1949年

石鲁《打倒封建》 木刻版画 25x18cm 1949年




1950年(庚寅)31岁
赴青海藏区写生,画有大量藏族风情人物速写和彩墨画稿。
开始创作中国画,作品有《侦察》、《变工队》、《剪羊毛》、《巡山放哨》等。
9月,出席西北文学艺术工作者代表大会,当选西北文联常委,并代表美术工作者作题为《如何开展西北人民美术运动》发言。


 


变工队 (Labour-exchange team)

1951年(辛卯)32岁
当选西北美术工作者协会副主任。
同年,兼任《西北画报》社社长。
7月,回四川仁寿县借调冯建吴。



1952年(壬辰)33岁
多次去陝南、甘肃、青海等地写生。
创作版画《兰新路上》,中国画《移山》等作品。


移山


1953年(癸巳)34岁
9月赴北京出席第二届全国文代会。
同年,创作《王同志来了》、《幸福婚姻》等中国画作品。
7月,小儿子石果出生。

石鲁书画真伪辨识(一)(版画 <wbr>写生 <wbr>山水) 
王同志来了


纪念画家石鲁






















幸福婚姻



1954年(甲午)35岁
西北美协撤消,成立中国美术家协会西安分会,当选美协西安分会副主席,陕西省政协委员,主持协会的创作领导工作。
创作中国画《古长城外》,成为50年代前期代表作品。
创作电影文学剧本《暴风雨中的雄鹰》。

石鲁画作《古长城外》

古长城外


1955年(乙未)36岁
7月,赴印度,担任万国博览会中国馆的总体美术设计,并画有写生作品《天竺古风》、《戴红头斤的赶车人》、《印度舞》、《印度人家》等。



印度舞



印度人家

1956年(丙申)37岁
8月,与赵望云赴埃及出席亚非国家艺术展览会,并作题为《关于艺术形式问题》的大会发言,同时进行写生,作品有《沙漠之舟》、《赶车人》、《金字塔的傍晚》等。
在北京举办《赵望云、石鲁埃及写生画展》。
7月,女儿石丹出生。

 
赶车人 (after rework)
 



1957年(丁酉)38岁
《暴风雨中的雄鹰》由长春电影制片厂拍摄完成,并被国家电影事业局列为优秀电影。
多次赴陕西、陕北农村写生。创作中国画作品《高山放牧》、《冬引丹江水》、《商洛龙王庙》、劈山开渠》、《延安故居》等。



高山放牧



延安故居



1958年(戊戌)39岁
《赵望云、石鲁埃及写生集》由长安美术出版社出版。
5月,到商洛、渭北、志丹县等地区采访、收集创作电影文学剧本《刘志丹》的素材。
7月,去陕南镇巴写生,创作中国画《山林一角》、《雪天归樵》,《山区修梯田》等。
9月,在《美术研究》上发表《为什么要继承和发展民族优秀传统》的文章,反对民族虚无主义。


山林一角  


macchina
雪天归樵 

山区修梯田
山区修梯田



1959年(己亥)40岁
年初,接受中国革命历史博物馆的命题创作《转战陕北》,赴北京作画,成为他创作成熟期的代表作之一。
4月,参加全国文化工作会议。
发表论文《创作杂谈》、《新与美》提出自己的美学观点。
成立“美协西安分会中国画研究室”并主持工作。提出“一手伸向传统,一手伸向生活”的创作原则,积极倡导“成家立业”、“独特风格”。
创作《背矿》、《击鼓夜战》等作品。



背矿-2 (after rework in 1970)



1960年(庚子)41岁
年初,为人民大会堂陕西厅创作巨幅国画《延河饮马》。
7月,出席第三届全国文代会,当选全国美协常务理事。
创作《高原放牧》、《太白山巅》、《延河放牧》、《禹门逆流》等作品。


 
延河饮马
42x180cm1960年

怎 样从生活素材上升为艺术呢?我这样和《延河饮马》的作者(石鲁)开始了谈天。他以为,艺术创作似乎不是从提出问题才开始,生活也不是从拆开介绍信或打开行 李卷才开始。固然像《延河饮马》是为人民大会堂陕西厅的需要而作,但追根溯源,不外是长期的生活在作者头脑中发酵的结果。点题、赶任务,正如“一石击破水 中天”,自然而然地在作者头脑中激荡着生活印象的涟漪:仿佛耳边犹闻延河上的革命歌声,目中尤见延河畔的劳动步伐,沿河洗衣,延河挑水,延河散步,延河浴足,延河的早晨、晚霞......如此一幅一幅的画面闪过眼前,唤起年久的心情,一同揽在一起。生活的回忆开始了艺术的萌芽。生活的形象开始了艺术的思维。

——摘自李江《生活变艺术的探索——记西安画家谈创作》


石鲁款高原放牧图立轴



高原放牧


 

太白山巅


1961年(辛丑)42岁
去延安、秦岭等地写生。
创作《东方欲晓》、《南泥湾途中》、《赤岩映碧流》、《宝塔葵花》、《山花幽潭》、《秦岭山麓》等一系列代表作品,显露艺术风格的急遽变化和趋于成熟。These paintings show his style rapidly changing to a highly matured degree.
10月,“美协西安分会中国画研究室习作展”在北京展出,画展引起美术界热切关注。年底率“习作展”及数位画家赴南京、上海、杭州巡回展览,各地反响强烈,被称为“长安画派”的崛起。




东方欲晓 83×68 cm 1961年 中国美术馆藏



南泥湾途中


《赤岩映碧流》



1962年(壬寅)43岁
南方行巡展归来,创作《月下苏州》、《江山城廊图》、《东海之滨》、《树大成荫》等作品。
11月,出席全国美协在广东新会召开的重点分会会议,期间创作《家家都在花丛中》、《南国之晨》、《葵荫道上》。
同年创作《秋收》、《种瓜得瓜》等作品。写下大量艺术扎记《谈感受》、《生活艺术散记》、《杂感》等。


月下苏州 (landscape) by shi lu

月下苏州

 

东海之滨

石鲁《家家都在花丛中》 94x69cm
            1962年

家家都在花丛中 94x69cm 1962年



  


















 
 












《南國之晨》




















 

《秋收》 1961年


1963年(癸卯)44岁
年初,肝炎病发住院治疗。
春,出院后转到常宁宫干部疗养院疗养。
开始撰写中国画理论著述《学画录》,从自己的创作实践出发,提出了一系列中国画创作程式方法论和美学观点。
从“习作展”中选编的《国画选》由长安美术出版社出版。
同年完成《夏收》、《抽烟老人》、《雨中所见》、《地头小趣》等探索性习作。







夏收 (Summer harvest)


抽烟老人

雨中所见

 雨中所见




1964年(甲辰)45岁
4月,带病赴陕北吴堡黄河渡口体验生活,收集素材。
为创作所画各种人物习作《黄河船夫》、《插麦人》、《养牛老人》。
夏,以全新的手法创作巨幅革命历史画《东渡》,却被指责为“丑化领袖”,未能进京展出。
陈列于中国革命博物馆的《转战陕北》遭非议被撤下。
9月,由人民美术出版社出版的《石鲁作品选集》因该画株连被禁止发行。


石鲁《养牛老汉》 78x70cm
            1964年 广东美术馆藏

养牛老汉 78x70cm 1964年 广东美术馆藏



1965年(乙巳)46岁
年初,到陕南安康写生,创作《蚕乡组画》、《儿戏图》等作品。
7月,赴京参加全国美协创作座谈会。
自学气功针灸。
8月,患精神分裂症。
11月,被送入精神病院治疗。



1966年(丙午)47岁
“文化大革命”开始,10月被西安美协“文革领导小组”强迫提前出院,接受批斗。



1967年(丁未)48岁
遭受美协造反派和外来“打砸抢”组织轮流批斗、游街、拷打等残酷虐待,被强行隔离管制。



1968年(戊申)49岁
4月,工宣队进驻美协,夏末被集中在陕西省文化系统“牛棚”重复进行审查批判。



1969年(己酉)50岁
精神病复发,开始偷偷写诗,斥责“新权贵”。
5月,从“牛棚”逃往西安北郊草滩农场,几天后被抓回。
8月,第二次出逃,乘火车到四川广元。后走进巴山深处,在荒山野地流浪,过着野人般生活,逃亡历时五十六天,后又被抓回西安。
回“牛棚”后,查出所谓攻击中央文革领导的反诗,被定为“现行反革命分子”。



1970年(庚戌)51岁
元月,岳母李润卿病逝。被准许回家料理丧事,之后拒绝回到“牛棚”。
夏初,被省“斗批改”领导小组以“现行反革命罪”上报省政法小组,要求逮捕并判处死刑。
精神病加剧,在家闭门加改印度、埃及写生作品《海边的土玛德》、《赶车人》、《林中少女》等,并创作《美典神》、《花卉昆虫长卷》等。
11月,经家属多方努力,第二次被送进精神病院。


 
 赶车人


林中少女

 石鲁:美典神(1970)

美典神(1970)



1971年(辛亥)52岁
因精神病院医生证明,省政法小组未批准死刑,此案暂且搁置。
6月,出院回家养病。
秋后,在狭小、阴暗的“芦屋”中,重新开始写字作画,创作《鸡语图》、《与世无争》、《满屋秋风》、《猫虎镇宅图》及书法《风流千载》等。



1972年(壬子)53岁
一边多方申诉冤案,一边在家养病,体力开始有所恢复,书画创作的数量逐渐增多,后期艺 术风格的特点趋于明确,同时写了大量诗词。作品《华山之雄》、《黄河两岸渡春秋》、《夜风晓雨湿山花》、《华岳松风》等是他后期风格的代表作。书法有《书 道为风,暮墨写之》、《大风吹宇宙,红日照高山》等。

石鲁书画真伪辨识(二)(人物 <wbr>花卉 <wbr>山水)

华山之雄

黄河两岸渡春秋 立轴 设色纸本
黄河两岸渡春秋


夜风晓雨湿 
 
 [转载]石鲁山水画作品欣赏
红日照高山 



1973年(癸丑)54岁
年初,被聘为陕西省美术创作组顾问,辅导创作。
8月,从“芦屋”搬迁至维修过的原美协厨房,有了一间10平方米的画室兼卧室。
为外贸出口作画,创作《峨嵋积雪》、《山鸣图》、《桃锄春暖》,书法《春浓也,云淡矣》,《藏仓者寿,安乐者康》。
撰写《画词》、小说、诗词、杂文。




峨嵋积雪

石鲁书画真伪辨识(二)(人物 <wbr>花卉 <wbr>山水)
桃锄春暖 



1974年(甲寅)55岁
春,全国美展在兰州举办,应友人邀请前往参观。
全国性“批黑画”风潮开始,再次被列为重点批判对象。
6月,西安举办“黑画展”和千人批判大会,被指控为“野怪乱黑总代表”。
同年创作《苍苍白月挂高松》、《横挂一枝天地大》。



华岳松风(创作年代:1974年)
1975年(乙卯)56岁
患肺结核,身体病衰。继续写诗词。
7月,被政治审查机构勒令下放陝南山区,经医生证明,家属抗争,未能执行。
创作《兰宜乎瘦土》、《雨中红粉更鲜娇》等及书法《平生惯惹千夫气,两手勤浇万木春》、《干戈风雨,正道春秋》等。


石鲁《兰宜乎瘦土》 82x66cm
            1975年

兰宜乎瘦土 82x66cm 1975年



 雨中红粉更鲜娇


1976年(丙辰)57岁
“四人帮”覆灭,仍得不到平反。
抱病创作《花逢时雨俏》、《春到人间》等作品。

花逢时雨俏


 花逢时雨俏

1977年(丁巳)58岁
病情日益严重,平反冤案的努力受阻。因政治结论原因,参加全国美展的资格被剥夺,家属友人直接向中央有关部门申诉。



1978年(戊午)59岁
1月,文化部派专人赴陕西调查。
2月,被送北京进行抢救治疗。
4月,转入通县结核病研究所治疗。
8月,病情好转,接受陕西电视台专题片摄制采访,并作《青青者长松》、《欲穷千里目,更上一层楼》书画。
11月21日,陕西省委干部审查机构正式作出予以彻底平反,回复名誉的审查结论,一切诬陷和不实罪名全部推翻。



1979年(己未)60岁
1月,应邀在中央美术学院国画系讲课。
2月,出院返回西安,参加陕西美协重建工作。
3月,赴北京出席“文革”后第一次全国美协常务理事扩大会议,在会上作了历史回顾性发言。
4月,回西安后病情复发,入陕西省人民医院急救。
同年,在陕西省美术家代表大会上缺席当选美协陕西分会主席、陕西省书法家协会主席。
12月,中国美术家协会,美协陕西分会联合举办的“石鲁书画展”在中国美术馆开幕,展出各时期作品230余件,画展引起热烈反响,美术评论界对其艺术风格的演变展开激烈争论。



1980年(庚申)61岁
“石鲁书画展”在西安、重庆、南京、长沙等地巡展,引起轰动。
继续住院治疗,期间修改《学画录》,后发表于《文艺研究》1981年第一期。
同年,《石鲁画辑》由北京人民美术出版社出版。



1981年(辛酉)62岁
病情略有好转。
10月,为陕西救灾义卖大幅《荷花图》,中央美术学院电教室现场拍摄作画过程。
同年,当选为中国画研究院院委、陕西省人大常委。



1982年(壬戌)63岁
年初,发现胃癌。
8月,病情急剧恶化。
8月25日16时48分在陕西省人民医院逝世。
9月15日在西安人民剧院举行隆重的追悼大会,骨灰安放于西安烈士陵园。
 
======
 
AAG

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Shi Lu (石鲁) - 2, One article on Shi Lu by 郎绍君



I have recently found one article on Shi Lu  (石鲁),  郎绍君 《论现代中国美术》 Chapter - 8, Discussion on Shi Lu - Died young Grand Master.

Shi Lu lived for 63 years, from 1919 until 1982. We can say <died young> by our standard but in 1982 in China the life of 63 years was not very noticeably short. But comparing with other grand masters like Zhang Daqian (張大千), Qi Baishi (齐白石), it may be very short and considering his genius it is regretfully and tragically short as many grand masters produce grand master level of paintings in their 60s, 70s, 80s and even over, which is a typical thing of art productions, especially paintings. Incidentally I am 63 years old this year (2015).

The writer (Mr Lang) is a professional art critic. <Discussion on Shi Lu - Died young Grand Master> was written in Chinese and seems no English version. This article was first written in 1980 and revised and added in 1986.The following is my partial translation of this article with my comments.

------

郎绍君 《论现代中国美术》 Chapter - 8, Discussion on Shi Lu - Died young Grand Master.

Shi Lu is one of brilliant star artists in the history of Chinese paintings but regretfully he died young during the Cultural Revolution (*1). This article was first written 1980 and revised and added in 1986.

Shi Lu's Artistic two development stages

1st stage  -  objective and realistic description - in 1950s until mid1960s
2nd stage  -  subjective and emotional expression - for ten years of the Cultural Revolution (which openly started in 1966)

Mr Lang analysis of the changes during the above two stages in terms of the following four changes

1) Change from the emphasis on the beauty found in people's daily lives to the emphasis on emotional beauty
2) Change from emphasis on the characters of the objects to the emphasis on the characters of the artist (i.e. Shi Lu himself)
3) Change from the emphasis on the realistic figures (形象) to the emphasis on the deformed figures
4) Change from the emphasis on the use of brush and ink to the emphasis on style (风格, feng-ge) made by brush and ink

The argument is rather redundant as he explained some differences (changes) before starting the four groups of the changes.

1) Change from the emphasis on the beauty found in people's daily lives to the emphasis on emotional beauty

a) people's daily lives b) emotional beauty

2) Change from emphasis on the characters of the objects to the emphasis on the characters of the artist (i.e. Shi Lu himself)

a)  characters of the objects
b) characters of the artist (i.e. Shi Lu himself)

3) Change from the emphasis on the realistic figures (形象) to the emphasis on the deformed figures

a) realistic figures (形象)
b) deformed figures

4) Change from the emphasis on the use of brush and ink to the emphasis on style (风格, feng-ge) made by brush and ink

a)  use of brush and ink
b)  style (风格, feng-ge) made by brush and ink

The above a)'s are closely related and b)'s are closely related as well.

a)'s:  people's daily lives 1) - characters of the objects 2) - realistic figures (形象) 3) - use of brush and ink 4)

The paintings made during the first stage are the realistic figures of people's daily lives showing the
characters of the objects and made by the normal use of brush and ink.

b)'s: emotional beauty 1) - characters of the artist (i.e. Shi Lu himself) 2)  - deformed figures 3) - style (风格, feng-ge) made by brush and ink 4)

The paintings made during the 2nd stage show deformed figures, emotional beauty and the characters of the artist (i.e. Shi Lu himself) and his style (风格, feng-ge) by the special use of brush and ink.

The above normal use of brush and ink does not mean an mediocre use of brush and ink. In the case of Shi Lu's paintings the use of brush and ink, especially in the later part of the first stage in his late 30's (in late 1950s) and 40's (in 1960s) was technically highly developed (in which I personally find some 风格 (feng-ge) as a Grand Master) but not so particular as the special use of brush and ink in the second stage, which are very emotional and in which most of us can see his very individual  风格 (feng-ge). I will develop this argument in the next post as I have found some big changes in his paintings much earlier than the start of the Cultural Revolution in 1966 when he was 47 years old.

The Chinese ward 形象 (xing-xiang) can be regarded as 'figures' or shapes.

The Chinese ward 风格 (feng-ge) does not exactly mean 'style'. In Chinese paintings 风格 (feng-ge) in a painting must be required as a Grand Master's work. 风格 (feng-ge) can be said as some high value of artistic "individuality" expressed in a painting by an artist. Meanwhile 人格 (ren-ge) means 'personality' in general, not particularly an artist.

Mr Lang made some good analyses.

1) Change from the emphasis on the beauty found in people's daily lives to the emphasis on emotional beauty

"

他追求的是诗意的再现,还不是表现的诗意。

During the first stage Shi Lu was trying to re-create poesy (beauty) found in people's daily lives, not trying to express poesy (beauty) found in people's daily lives. 

"

<To express poesy (beauty) found in people's daily lives> belongs to the second stage while the paintings in which he tried <to re-create poesy (beauty) found in people's daily lives> tend to be realistic and objective, the latter is not an easy job either.


4) Change from the emphasis on the use of brush and ink to the emphasis on style (风格, feng-ge) made by brush and ink

Mr Lang describes his landscape paintings in the first stage different from the traditional landscape paintings or his modernization of Chinese landscape paintings.

I think this change is a very big one and related with the movement of Chang’an School of Painting, and not a change found between the first stage and the second stage but already started in the first stage. But he did not elaborate it and compare with the landscape paintings in the second stage very much.


------


Added part (in 1986) - Shi Lu and Chang’an School of Painting

This Chang’an School seems a historical one and "died young" like Shi Lu. Shi Lu was an active member as well as Zhao Wangyun.

The official site of Shaanxi Government introduces <He (Shi Lu), working together with Zhao Wangyun to unite a group of artists in the northwest regions, made a great contribution to the building of the Chang’an School of Painting.> (*2)

Zhao Wangyun 趙 望雲 (1906 - 1977) Paintings

 http://www.invaluable.com/artist/zhao-wangyun-dosvjz5iuc

山 區民校 Village School


Description: 趙望雲
(1906 - 1977)
山區民校
設色水墨紙本立軸
1958 年作
款識:山區民校
一九五八年
一月趙望雲
鈐印:(望雲寫生)
Zhao Wangyun
Village School
Hanging Scroll,Ink & Color on Paper
Dated 1958
Entitled and signed Zhao Wangyun, with one artist seal
30¼ x 18¾ in.
76.7 x 47.6 cm.
 

 

We can find some similarity to the early works of Shi Lu, departing from the traditional Chinese Landscape paintings though the painting materials were the same.

--------

Cultural Revolution (*1)

Cultural Revolutio From Wiki (03-May-2015)


The Cultural Revolution, formally the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a social-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 until 1976. Set into motion by Mao Zedong, then Chairman of the Communist Party of China, its stated goal was to preserve 'true' Communist ideology in the country by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society, and to re-impose Maoist thought as the dominant ideology within the Party. The Revolution marked the return of Mao Zedong to a position of power after the Great Leap Forward. The movement paralyzed China politically and significantly affected the country economically and socially.
The Revolution was launched in May 1966, after Mao alleged that bourgeois elements had infiltrated the government and society at large, aiming to restore capitalism. He insisted that these "revisionists" be removed through violent class struggle. China's youth responded to Mao's appeal by forming Red Guard groups around the country. The movement spread into the military, urban workers, and the Communist Party leadership itself. It resulted in widespread factional struggles in all walks of life. In the top leadership, it led to a mass purge of senior officials, most notably Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping. During the same period Mao's personality cult grew to immense proportions.
Millions of people were persecuted in the violent struggles that ensued across the country, and suffered a wide range of abuses including public humiliation, arbitrary imprisonment, torture, sustained harassment, and seizure of property. A large segment of the population was forcibly displaced, most notably the transfer of urban youth to rural regions during the Down to the Countryside Movement. Historical relics and artifacts were destroyed. Cultural and religious sites were ransacked.
Mao officially declared the Cultural Revolution to have ended in 1969, but its active phase lasted until the death of the military leader Lin Biao in 1971. After Mao's death and the arrest of the Gang of Four in 1976, reformers led by Deng Xiaoping gradually began to dismantle the Maoist policies associated with the Cultural Revolution. In 1981, the Party declared that the Cultural Revolution was "responsible for the most severe setback and the heaviest losses suffered by the Party, the country, and the people since the founding of the People's Republic."[1]

Arts and literature

During the Cultural Revolution, only a few writers who gained permission or requalification under the new system, such as Hao Ran and some writers of worker or farmer background, may have their work published or reprinted. The permissible subject matter of proletarian and socialist literature would be strictly defined, and all the literary periodicals in the country ceased publication by 1968. The situation eased after 1972, more writers were allowed to write and many provincial literary periodicals resumed publication, but the majority of writers still could not work.[119][120]
Some of the most enduring images of Cultural Revolution come from the poster art. Propaganda art in posters was used as a campaigning tool and mass communication device, and often served as the main source of information for the people. They were produced in large number and widely disseminated, and were used by the government and Red Guards to educate the public the ideological value as defined by the party state.[126] There were many types of posters, the two main genres being the dazibao (大字报, big character poster) and "commercial" propapanda poster (宣传画, xuanchuanhua).[127] The dazibao may be slogans, poems, commentary and graphics often freely created and posted on walls in public spaces, factories and communes. They were vital to Mao's struggle in the Cultural Revolution, and Mao himself wrote his own dazibao at Beijing University on August 5, 1966, calling on the people to "Bombard the Headquarters".[128] The "commercial" propaganda posters were artworks produced by the government and sold cheaply in store to be displayed in homes. These artists for these posters may be amateurs or uncredited professionals, and the posters were largely in a Socialist Realist visual style with certain conventions - for example, images of Mao should be depicted as "red, smooth, and luminescent".[127][129]
Traditional themes in art were sidelined the Cultural Revolution, and artists such as Feng Zikai, Shi Lu, and Pan Tianshou were persecuted.[130] Many of the artists have been assigned to manual labour, and artists were expected to depict subjects that glorified the Cultural Revolution related to their labour.[131] In 1971, in part to alleviate their suffering, a number of leading artists were recalled from manual labour or free from captivity under the initiative of Zhou Enlai to decorate hotels and railway stations defaced by Red Guards slogans. Zhou said that the artworks were for meant for foreigners, therefore were "outer" art not be under the obligations and restrictions placed on "inner" art meant for Chinese citizens. To him, landscape paintings should also not be considered one of the "Four Olds". However, Zhou was weakened by cancer and in 1974, the Jiang Qing faction seized these and other paintings and mounted exhibitions in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities denouncing the artworks as "Black Paintings".[132]

(*2) Form the official site of Office of information-oriented government administration

http://english.shaanxi.gov.cn/articleCulture/culture/artculture/fwofaaa/200812/2739_1.html

Shi Lu

 From: 2008-12-04
   Shi Lu 1919 - 1979, born in Renshou County, Sichuan province and originally named Feng Laiheng, changed his name into “Shi Lu” due to his strong adoration for Shi Tao, a great artist in the early Qing Dynasty, and Lu Xun, a modern revolutionist and litterateur. At 15, he was admitted by the Department of Drawing, Chengdu Dongfang Vocational College of Fine Arts. There he systemically studied Chinese traditional paintings, modeled himself on the paintings of Shi Tao and those of the eight famous landscape painters , and imitated the works of the Yangzhou School and those of Wu Changshuo, a renowned painter. All these efforts laid a solid foundation for him to take up the artistic re-creation of traditional Chinese painting. When the War of Resistance against Japan broke out, he became a brave fighter. In 1944, he was transferred to the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region to be a painter. He often carried a self-made drawing-board to make sketches of the local people, of the old Red Army men or of the young Eight Route Army men. Because of the lack of drawing paint and paper, he started making woodcuts. In the early years of Liberation, he was sent to work in the Shaanxi Fine Arts Association and acted as the vice director of the Northwest Fine Arts Association, president of Northwest Pictorial Press and the vice chairman of the Xi’an Fine Arts Association successively. He, working together with Zhao Wangyun to unite a group of artists in the northwest regions, made a great contribution to the building of the Chang’an School of Painting. During the Great Cultural Revolution, he was nearly persecuted to death. After that, he earned his place in the art circles of China and was appointed as a member of the Institutional Affairs Committee of the Chinese Traditional Painting Research Institute, president of the Shaanxi Paintings Association and Shaanxi Calligraphy Association as well as honorary president of the Shaanxi Chinese Traditional Painting Institute, meanwhile sparing no effort for the revival of the Chang’an School of Painting.
   His paintings are drawn in bold and rough lines, characteristic of “darkness, thickness, grotesqueness and roughness.” The landscape paintings he has drawn are soul-stirring and inspiring. The precipitous Mount Hua and the roaring Yellow River are vividly and incisively expressed at his hands. Upright pine trees and cypresses, grave and stern orchids and plums, are all drawn with ease and verve. However, as there are too many fakes of his paintings in the art market, his works tend to be undervalued unless they are from a trustworthy source.



AAG


Sunday, November 30, 2014

Asnet Art Gallery (亚讯画廊) 3rd Anniversary messaage


It was a bit late to celebrate the 3rd Anniversary of Asnet Art Gallery (亚讯画廊), which should have be made 6 months ago. No wards are needed. Presenting the recent paintings of the owner of Asnet Art Gallery (亚讯画廊店主)are considered to be a right thing to celebrate the 3rd Anniversary.


 Asnet Art Gallery owner's best 10 paintings made in 2014.





































 

AAG


Sunday, November 23, 2014

Robert Hatfield Ellsworth Collection - Pan Tianshou (潘天寿)


At Christie’s Hong Kong 2014 Autumn Auctions (20-26 NOVEMBER 2014) went with the exhibition of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth collection.

The exhibited objects and works of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth collection were not many and included Chinese antiques (stones, etc), some Ming dynasty furniture and two modern Chinese paintings. This American collector's eyes, in terms of Chinese paintings, are supposed to be similar to my eyes. The exhibited two paintings were: one is a flower painting of Pan Tianshou (潘天寿) and the other one is a landscape painting of Shi Lu (石鲁). The sizes of these two paintings are similar and relatively large (about 1.0m wide and 1.5 meter high). Though not top level work of each painter (the top level works must be in some museums) but not failure at all. I respected Robert Hatfield Ellsworth with surprise as these two painters have been ranked as No. 1 and No. 2 in my personal greatest modern Chinese painters' list, not Zhang Daqian, Qi Baishi or some other well known great modern Chinese painters whose paintings, hundreds of them, were exhibited at the prime locations of Christie’s Autumn Auctions very large apace preview gallery. I found only one small Shi Lu painting and also one small Pan Tianshou painting in this Christie’s quite large preview gallery.

I briefly introduced Shi Lu in the other Post as a very versatile painter and as a still very much under appreciated great modern Chinese painter and his paintings being still very much undervalued.

Pan Tianshou is not so very versatile as Shi Lu. Pan Tianshou was a professor at Hangzhou Art School and wrote many books - very good books mostly and his paintings reflect well what he wrote. He talked a lot of the importance of composition in the paintings. His paintings made after his 40's - 50's (see Note) show almost perfect or at least very well-thought composition - every thing including Chinese letters and chops being put in one painting has its proper position, size and direction and maybe color. This is not easy to do. And probably this is a reason why Pan Tianshou's paintings are not so versatile as Shi Lu's paintings. As being a professor, having written many books on paintings it is not easy to make perfect or should-be paintings as he said. Unless he were an art professor and had written how the Chinese paintings should be in his books his works would have been more versatile because less restriction. Pan Tianshou can be compared with Matisse in some ways.

(Note)
His young age paintings (say in his 20's - 30's) are not so distinctively good. 


















AAG