Wu Youru's Hundred Birds in Ink Sketches

Author: Wu Youru
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-04-01
Features: The illustrations in this book are selected from the painting albums of "Feiyingge Huazhu" (Illustrated Album of Flying Shadows), which was established by Wu Youru in the 19th year of the Guangxu reign (1893). From these works, we can see Wu Youru's exceptional traditional painting skills. Each ink-wash piece, whether in terms of the interplay and avoidance of lines, the sparse and dense arrangement of black and white, the in composition, or the contrast between broad and tight spaces, triumphs in novelty and boldness, and carries some "Haipai" (Shanghai School) flavor, displaying an ethereal and refined style. For beginners studying traditional painting composition and the principles of black and white contrast, mastering the rhythm and melody of bold and subtle lines, and expansive and open compositions is highly beneficial.
Wu Youru (c. 1840–1893), named Jiayou, was from Yuanhe, Jiangsu (now Wuxian). Growing up in poverty, he began learning painting under the influence of a neighbor who was a painter. He excelled in both meticulous and freehand painting, as well as in figures, beauties, flowers and birds, grasshoppers, landscapes, and architectural drawings. Later, he settled in Shanghai and became the primary contributor to "Dianshi Zhai Huazhao" (Illustrated News of Dianshi Studio). During this period, the Qing Dynasty was declining after the Opium Wars, and the gunboat diplomacy of imperialist powers forced China to open its doors. While carving up China, they also introduced Western technology and various ideologies. Western lithography emerged in Macau, and in the 10th year of the Guangxu reign (1884), Dianshi Zhai was established in Shanghai, beginning to mass-produce lithographic publications, including "Dianshi Zhai Huazhao," "Shishi Bao Huazhu" (Illustrated Weekly of Current Affairs), and "Huazhu Bao" (Illustrated Times). These works primarily reflected current news and social customs.
Following "Dianshi Zhai Huazhao," which depicted current events and social realities, such as the Sino-French War and the First Sino-Japanese War, with certain progressive significance, Wu Youru founded another illustrated album, "Feiyingge Huazhu," three years later in the 19th year of the Guangxu reign (1893). Its content included beauties, scenic spots, flowers, and birds and animals. It was essentially a painting album. The "Wu Youru Hundred Flowers Ink-Wash Painting Album" and "Wu Youru Hundred Birds Ink-Wash Painting Album" we publish this time are selected from this period's albums. From these, we can see Wu Youru's exceptional traditional painting skills. Each ink-wash piece, whether in terms of the interplay and avoidance of lines, the sparse and dense arrangement of black and white, the in composition, or the contrast between broad and tight spaces, triumphs in novelty and boldness, carrying some "Haipai" flavor and displaying an ethereal and refined style. Although these albums are ink-wash sketches, when we revisit them today and savor them carefully, they still evoke a strong artistic impact. They are highly beneficial for beginners studying traditional painting composition, the principles of black and white contrast, and the rhythm and melody of bold and subtle lines, as well as expansive and open compositions.