Xu Wei - Illustrated Explanation of Paintings and Calligraphy by Renowned Chinese Artists

Author: Li Xianglin, Li Xin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Mr. Xu Wenlang painted snow bamboo, using only the thin, broken, and dry brushwork of the Ming Dynasty, which bore no resemblance to bamboo. Then, he used light ink to outline and shade, so that every branch and leaf was covered in snow, and the entire bamboo was subtly implied. Modern artists paint thick branches and large leaves without any gaps, and if further shaded, how can snow and bamboo blend together? This is also a small display of ingenuity, yet it is still not enough to persevere in, how can one hope to explore the subtleties? — Qing · Zheng Xie, "On Painting" Xu Wei was an extraordinary artist skilled in poetry, calligraphy, painting, and drama. He left behind masterpieces and significant contributions in various fields, especially in painting. As a master of ink and wash painting with a large, expressive brush, he is an indispensable figure for modern studies of Chinese painting, particularly Ming and Qing Dynasty painting. This book, from the perspective of art aesthetics, attempts to explore the artistic life of this eccentric genius in painting by carefully studying his works, combining his achievements in calligraphy, poetry, and drama, and connecting them with his personality traits, intellectual background, and the era and society in which he lived. It seeks to interpret his outstanding artistic creation and unique aesthetic thought.