Appreciation of Historical Figures Painting Series - Liu Guohui

Author: Liu Guohui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: A series of appreciations of the portraits and figures by Liu Guohui, a prominent contemporary Chinese painter. The series includes 21 portraits and figures by Liu Guohui for everyone to admire. It is reported that the late Ming Dynasty painter Zhang Chou acquired a copy of "Spring Night Secret Love" by Zhou Fang (Jingxuan) from Zhao Mengfu (Oubo Pavilion). During the Yuan Dynasty, Zhao Mengfu, as well as Tang Yin and Qiu Ying of the Ming Dynasty, were skilled in painting "spring paintings," meaning they had created nudes. "A Jiangnan painter took the lead in improving the level of nudes, and that was Tang Yin. He clearly convinced some of his mistresses to pose for him, which is why he could paint large-scale nudes so vividly, demonstrating Tang Yin's keen observation skills." "A few years later, the famous painter Qiu Ying followed suit, not only painting clothed lovers but also nudes." "Before the late Ming Dynasty, nudes were always primitive. Only the art of ivory carving, with medical ivory figures, showed a relatively skilled understanding of female anatomy." These studies by the Dutchman Gao Pei Luo are undoubtedly valuable for comprehensively grasping the development of Chinese human figure painting. On one hand, the rationalist teachings imposed restrictions on the body, and even doctors had to avoid depicting nudes, resorting to ivory figures. On the other hand, the great masters of the era could not create outstanding works of human figure art like their Western counterparts, but instead channeled their talents into the "spring paintings" that circulated in the market. History presents a strange picture. History has indeed moved forward. Today, human figure art has never had a better environment, and the topic has sparked the interest of many artists. In recent years, a large number of outstanding works of human figure art have emerged across various artistic fields. Dedicated exhibitions, specialized research works, and specialized educational arrangements have all contributed to the significant progress of Chinese human figure art, gradually moving it toward maturity. How to seize the opportunity and ensure the healthy development of this art form, creating human figure art with Chinese ethnic charm, has now been placed before Chinese artists.