Brief Introduction to Exhibition of Modern Paintings and Calligraphic Works

Modern paintings and calligraphic works collected by Hubei Provincial Museum cover the major schools of modern Chinese painting. Works of Shanghai School and Beijing School, which represented the mainstream, are predominant in this exhibition.

Works by leading artists of Shanghai School—Wu Changshuo, Xu Gu, Pu Hua and Ren Bonian—are shown at the exhibition. A large number of works by Wu are collected by the museum. His Flowers Scroll is shown at this exhibition. Wu was known for his freehand flowers. Though peony was a common subject among literary painters, Wu rendered it with his characteristic vigorous, powerful brushwork, rich colors and calligraphic-like strokes.

Fig. 1: Flower Scroll by Wu Changshuo

Four Rens occupied an important position in Shanghai School. Among them, Ren Bonian was the most successful, who equally excelled in flowers and birds, figures, and wild animals. His highly decorative flower-and-bird paintings, heavily influenced by the late Ming painter Chen Laolian, could be considered representative of Laolian School. His fan painting Red Bamboos and Parrot is shown at this exhibition. This small freehand flower-and-bird painting is exquisite and vivacious. His brushwork, incorporating western perspective and shading, is spirited, vigorous and confident.

Fig. 2: Red Bamboos and Parrot by Ren Bonian

If one speaks of Beijing School, he or she must mention Chen Shizeng. Born into a family of officials and men of letters, Chen was the spiritual leader of Beijing painters. His small-sized work Pine and Chinese Plum is shown at this exhibition. The simple, casual brushwork, executed with balding hard-haired brush, captures the firmness and vigor of the pine and the plum.

Besides paintings of Shanghai School and Beijing School, this exhibition also features paintings by Gao Jianfu and Li Gemin of Lingnan School. It is marked by heroic power and majesty.

The highlights of this exhibition are masterworks of Qi Baishi, Xu Beihong, Huang Binhong, and Fu Baoshi. Their works are more and more favored in the thriving market of Chinese painting.

The early 20th century saw two masters, Huang Binhong (1865~1955) and Qi Baishi, changing their styles in their old age. Qi was most skilled in flowers, birds, grass and insects, while Huang was known for his landscapes. The Peonies, a scroll by Qi shown at this exhibition, is characterized by the bold use of brilliant western red paint to make the contrast in colors; it symbolizes wealth and honor. Huang’s mellow and vigorous light-red landscape, which you will see at the exhibition, was painted when the artist started to change his style. Huang put great stress on brushstroke techniques.

Fig. 3: Peonies by Qi Baishi

You will also see the painting by another master Fu Baoshi. It features majestic mountains in clouds. The rocks in it were sketched with Fu’s unique wrinkle technique, and the trees are painted with a variety of strokes, showing rich gradation of ink.

The authors of most of the calligraphic works shown at this exhibition were modern notables. In the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic Period, most of the famous calligraphers were highly influential statesmen, thinkers, writers or scholars. You will see works by Weng Tonghe, Zhang Zhidong, Duan Fang, Zhang Binglin, Huang Kan, Zhang Nanxian, Zheng Xiaoxu and so on. You will also see works by fathers and sons and those by teachers and students. The most prominent are those by Yu Yue, Zhang Taiyan (Binglin) and Huang Kan. Yu Yue, a famous scholar, was a late Qing master of Pu School. As a calligrapher, he excelled in official script. His Central Scroll in Official Script, shown at the exhibition, is typical of his scholarly style.

In addition, to highlight local characteristics and help our visitors to know more about local artists, this exhibition features works by painters and calligraphers from Hubei.

Limited to the museum’s collection, this exhibition cannot show a full picture of modern Chinese painting. Nevertheless, we feel certain that it will be rewarding and full of pleasant surprises.

Fig. 4~Fig. 6: Calligraphic works by Weng Tonghe, Huang Kan and Zhang Nanxian