Chen Zifuo

Author: Chen Zifuo (Paintings), Chen Chuanxi (Editor), Gu Ping (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-04-07
Features: This book compiles over 120 classic paintings by Chen Zifuo, providing a detailed introduction to the life and artistic journey of this influential artist in the field of art education, Chinese ink-and-wash floral-and-bird paintings, and modern craft pattern design. It also includes excerpts from Chen’s own art theories, a chronology of his life, and quotes from various reviews of his paintings.
The painter draws from the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, and their artistry is rooted in the wonders of the human mind. Standing between heaven and earth, surrounded by all things, the painter blends thought with delight, suddenly creating something new, and with a stroke of the brush, captures what they see, hear, and feel. With a sudden exclamation, they create works of extraordinary beauty.
Our country’s painting tradition has deep roots. Since the Jin dynasty’s Gu Kaizhi, over a thousand years have passed, with countless schools and talented masters emerging through the ages. From the south to the north, master painters have appeared, each with distinct styles, creating their own unique visions. The vast Yangtze River and the majestic Kunlun Mountains cannot begin to describe their lofty heights. Later generations, wishing to understand their details and marvels, find it difficult.
I was not able to paint, but by observing the works of ancient and modern masters and their inevitable changes of the time, I came to understand that learning the rules leads to understanding the absence of rules. The ancients said that this path is full of artistic expression—was that truly the case? Reading through the masterpieces of the past, I realize that their techniques are like mirages in the water, seemingly present yet elusive; while their lack of rigid rules is like the boundless blue sky and clear water, vast and endless.
Our society has collected works from ancient and modern times, selecting the finest from each era, describing their lives, artistic theories, technical features, and their legacy. This allows readers to see a glimpse of the whole by observing a part, to understand an era’s painting by knowing a single painter, and to grasp the of our country’s thousands of years of painting civilization through the works of dozens of masters.
Due to the passage of time and frequent wars, countless famous paintings have been lost or damaged. Some famous painters left no works behind, while others had only a few preserved. Some painters were renowned, yet little was recorded about their lives and deeds. As a result, few images and texts have survived, and introductions cannot be complete. Thus, compiling works by multiple painters, even if incomplete, is better than having nothing at all.
In the past, Ouyang Xun compiled Yiwen Lüju (Compendium of the Arts and Literature) and said, “I wish to make every household rich with rare pearls and every person carry jade, so that the elders’ collections can each express their own ideas.” This collection embodies that very spirit.