Bai HuHong

Author: Palace Museum
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The works of Xu Beihong in the collection of the Palace Museum cover a wide range of themes, including figures, animals, birds and flowers, and landscapes, showcasing his diverse artistic skills and ability to depict various subjects. The Palace Museum holds two portraits by Xu Beihong: "Picking Chrysanthemums at the Eastern Fence," depicting the hermit life of the Eastern Jin scholar Tao Yuanming, and "Tao Gongming Riding a Tiger to Deliver Wealth," depicting the legend of Tao Gongming, who was enshrined as the Vice Marshal of Shenxiao by the Jade Emperor. Both works are simple single-figure compositions and cannot be compared to his grander group or multiple-figure works such as "The Foolish Old Man Moving the Mountains," "The Nine-Faced Orphan," and "The Ba People Drawing Water." However, Xu Beihong did not simplify his artistic expression due to the simplicity of the composition. Building upon the traditional Chinese painting techniques of line drawing, outlining, and coloring, he incorporated Western painting methods such as "chiaroscuro," "shading," and "perspective," significantly enhancing the strength of the figures and overcoming the shortcomings of disproportionate human figures in literati painting since the late Ming Dynasty. This made his figures more lifelike and realistic. Even though the figure of Tao Gongming, who was enshrined as the Vice Marshal of Shenxiao by the Jade Emperor, is a legendary character, he appears as an ordinary neighbor, retaining a sense of closeness.
In terms of animal paintings, the Palace Museum holds Xu Beihong's favorite works of horses, cats, tigers, and chickens, with horses and cats being the most numerous. The main characteristics of Xu Beihong's horse paintings are also reflected in the Palace Museum's collection, such as "Riding Horses," "Solitary Horse under the Paulownia Shade," "Double Horses," and "Roaring Horses." In his depictions, the horses are completely unrestrained—neither bridled nor saddled, nor accompanied by riders or herders. They are wild, untamed horses, symbols of the spirit of freedom in Xu Beihong's eyes.
Xu Beihong's cat paintings reflect the close connection between the artist and his hometown's silk industry. In Xu Beihong's hometown, Yixing, Jiangsu, families raised silkworms on the ground during the spring and autumn seasons. To prevent mice from damaging the silkworms, households kept many cats to guard them. Xu Beihong had a special fondness for cats from a young age and observed them closely, so his cat paintings are lifelike in both form and spirit, whether they are in upright, reclining, or moving poses.