Freehand Flower Painting Techniques

Author: Jiao Kequn
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-01-01
Features: The art of Chinese flower painting, though developed later than figure painting and landscape painting in the history of Chinese painting, became an independent genre early on through the continuous creation and development by historical painters. During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, a large number of skilled flower-and-bird painters emerged, each with their own specialties. Among them, Xu Xixi of the Southern Tang and Huang Quan of Western Shu represented the achievements of this period in flower-and-bird painting. Their artistic achievements formed two distinct schools—Xu and Huang—known in art history as "Xu-Huang Different Styles," which became models for later generations. This marked an important milestone in the maturation of Chinese flower painting.
In the Song Dynasty, Huang Quan's son, Huang Juci, and Xu Xixi's grandson, Xu Chongsi, inherited and further developed their respective schools. Huang Juci excelled in painting flowers, bamboos, and birds, not only preserving his father's exquisite and vibrant style but also innovating the "" (outline-and-color method). Xu Chongsi was skilled in bird painting. Initially, he followed his family's tradition but later adapted to the prevailing fashion by imitating Huang Quan's style. Eventually, he created a new method called "" (boneless painting).
The concurrent rise of the Huang and Xu schools in the early Song Dynasty ushered in a golden age of prosperity and development for flower painting. With the flourishing of the imperial painting academy and the support of several Song emperors, a host of outstanding flower-and-bird painters emerged. Some literati in Northern Song Dynasty began practicing literati painting, focusing on the "Four Gentlemen" (plum blossoms, orchids, bamboos, and chrysanthemums), which advanced Chinese flower painting to the stage of "expressing the spirit through objects." This was a leap in the history of Chinese flower painting, strengthening the connection between flower painting and the human spirit. It opened a path for painters' noble sentiments to influence the spiritual lives of viewers, ultimately establishing the national characteristics of Chinese flower painting in aesthetic expression. This tradition has endured as an excellent legacy for generations.
The flourishing of Chinese flower painting in the Song Dynasty challenged the central position of figure painting, elevating flower painting to rival landscape painting in prominence and prosperity.
In the Yuan Dynasty, the imperial court painting system disintegrated, and figure painting declined. Meanwhile, literati painting, particularly ink landscapes and monochrome plants and flowers, saw significant development, laying the foundation for the later flourishing of Chinese freehand flower painting.
During the Ming Dynasty, flower painting, like that of the Song and Yuan dynasties, drew inspiration from the styles of Xu Xixi and Huang Quan but also developed its own unique characteristics. Lin Liang, a painter from Guangdong, was inspired by the "Four Gentlemen" paintings of the Southern Song and Yuan dynasties, pioneering a new school of freehand flower painting in China. This style was further developed by Chen Chun and Xu Wei in the late Ming Dynasty.
In the mid-Ming Dynasty, painting in the Jiangnan region flourished, giving rise to the Wu School style represented by Shen Zhou.
By the Qing Dynasty, the "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou" emerged, focusing on flower subjects and breaking free from established conventions. Their unrestrained brushwork and ink techniques differed from the so-called orthodox style of the time, earning them the nickname "eccentrics." Their techniques had a profound influence on modern Chinese freehand flower painting.
In the late Qing Dynasty, painters such as Xu Gu, Zhao Ziqian, and Wu Changshuo emerged, each contributing to the development of flower painting with their distinctive styles. Some used bold, thick brushwork and vibrant colors, while others incorporated calligraphy and seal carving into their paintings, creating aged, robust, and powerful works. All made new contributions to the evolution of freehand flower painting.