Rongbaozhai Huapu, 171, Landscape Section: Landscape Section

Author: Wei Zixi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-11-01
Features: Landscape painting is a Chinese painting category that has been gradually developed over a long period in the cultural and artistic life of the Chinese nation. In the garden of Chinese painting, it is a unique and diverse flower with rich techniques, and has been loved by people since ancient times. Wei Zixi (1915–2002) was a native of Suiping County, Henan Province. He graduated from Henan Art Normal School in 1934. In his early years, he followed the "Four Wangs," studied under Qingxiang, Meiqing, and the schools of Xin'an, and admired the styles of the Southern Song Dynasty artists Ma and Xia. He was also influenced by the art style of Japan at the time. From 1934 to 1947, he taught and created art concurrently, holding numerous personal exhibitions in various parts of Hubei and Henan. In 1946, when he held a personal exhibition in Kaifeng, the Henan People's Daily published a special edition to review his work. After viewing the exhibition, the painter Xie Ruiji exclaimed, "The progress is astonishing." At the time, Fu Hengshu, the art group leader of the Henan Cultural Association, remarked, "Wei Zixi's landscape paintings can rival those of Zhang Daqian." In August 1947, he was appointed as a lecturer at Henan University. In September of the same year, he met Mr. Zhao Wangyun and benefited greatly from his guidance in art. In October 1948, he served as a teacher at Xuchang Normal School in Lanxi, Zhejiang. In September 1948, he met Mr. Zhao Wangyun again, exchanged skills, and received valuable instruction. From 1951 to 1952, he served as the Deputy Director of the Nanjing Art Workshop. Meanwhile, a large number of his works were published and exhibited. In 1957, he traveled with more than ten other artists, including Fu Baoshi and Ya Ming, to write and sketch in the northwest and southwest regions, covering a distance of over 23,000 li. Later, a viewing exhibition was held in Beijing, titled "New Scenery of Mountains and Rivers," which gained great acclaim both domestically and internationally. He served as the Director of the Office and Deputy Artist of the Jiangsu National Painting and Calligraphy Academy. He participated in the Jiangsu Cultural and Educational Heroes Conference and was honored as a labor model of the province. In September and October 1977, he traveled with Ya Ming and others to Hunan to write and sketch, participating in the exhibition "Morning Light in the Land of Hibiscus." He painted a large-scale national painting "Huangyangjie" for the Mausoleum of the Chairman Mao. He was elected as a representative of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Congress and served for three consecutive terms (fifth, sixth, and seventh). In August and September 1978, he led a group of Jiangsu painters to teach and sketch in the three provinces of Northeast China. In December of the same year, he traveled with Ya Ming and Lin Tong as part of a Chinese art delegation to Pakistan for painting and sketching. In 1979, he was elected as a representative of the Fourth National Cultural Conference and was chosen as a council member of the All-China Fine Arts Association during the conference. In 1980, he was appointed as the Honorary President of Xuzhou Art Institute. In April, he traveled with a delegation of painters from the Jiangsu National Painting and Calligraphy Academy to Japan for painting, sketching, and exhibitions. He was elected as a standing council member of the Jiangsu Fine Arts Association. In 1982, he joined the Communist Party of China. In 1985, he was elected as a representative to attend the Fourth National Fine Arts Conference. In 1987, he was elected as a representative of the Fifth National Cultural Congress and was honored as an outstanding Communist Party member. In 1988, he was elected as a labor model of Jiangsu Province and was also ranked as a first-class fine arts master. In 1989, he was elected as a national advanced worker. In 1991, he received a lifelong subsidy from the State Council for his special contributions as an artist. Over his six decades of artistic career, he held more than ten personal exhibitions, and a large number of his works and articles were published, awarded, and collected by major art galleries, museums, and academies both domestically and internationally. Additionally, works such as "Wei Zixi Paintings," "Wei Zixi Painting Selections," "Wei Zixi Landscape Painting Spectrum," and "Wei Zixi Landscape Painting Techniques" were published.