Youtianqu Painting Collection

Author: You Wuqu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-01
Features: The You Wuqu Painting Collection showcases the 92-year artistic journey of You Wuqu, presenting an artist who spans different social systems, historical periods, and is influenced by the northern and southern regional cultures. The book offers a complete and clear account of both the creative and life journey of the artist. Through You Wuqu's art and life, one can see how an artist in the tumultuous and profound transformative years of 20th-century China has persistently upheld and developed the fine traditions of Chinese culture. This holds significant practical and historical value for the study of art history and cultural history, marking an important contribution of the art publishing industry to promoting the excellent traditional culture of our nation.
The You family of Tongzhou and the Fan family are close kin. My late father, Ziyugong, often praised You Wuqu for his character and artistry. My late great-grandmother, Yao Yiyun, once wrote a poem for You Wuqu's aunt, describing her as "pure and untainted by worldly desires." Yao Yiyun was the wife of the renowned poet Fan Boyazi and held such high regard for the You family, proving that their household was far removed from the ordinary. You Wuqu's noble character, indeed, stemmed from such a heritage.
You Wuqu was deeply influenced by my late great-uncle, Chen Shizeng. Chen Shizeng, a celebrated figure of the late Qing and early Republican era, was the son of Chen Sanyuan and the son-in-law of Fan Boyazi. His profound erudition was admired by scholars. Although You Wuqu did not meet him, he followed in his footsteps and achieved great success.
At the advanced age of a centenarian, You Wuqu remains as vigorous as a youth, and his tea-drinking habit is not limited by age—neither is his longevity. He prays for the art of his homeland and for the honor of Tongzhou. We sincerely wish him eternal youth and enduring fragrance.
From the age of five until this year, when he is over ninety, You Wuqu has never put down his brush. The more he paints, the more he realizes the depth of Chinese painting, and the more he experiences the magic and joy of brush, ink, and water. You Wuqu believes that Chinese painting is the pinnacle of world art, and it has not yet reached its peak—it needs and can continue to develop.
The development of art always carries the imprint of its time. The pessimistic view of Chinese painting's development is held by those who do not fully grasp the lineage of Chinese painting or truly appreciate the richness and subtlety of its expressive language. The turmoil and changes in society have led to a generation's in understanding traditional culture, superficial knowledge, and a mindset, which has also contributed to the denial of traditional Chinese painting.
Therefore, arguments about the bleak future of Chinese painting, calls for stagnation, or claims of inaction are all incorrect. In the current global artistic landscape, the status of Chinese painting is far from where it should be, and it requires the long-term and unremitting efforts of Chinese artists.
In the years to come, as the nation's strength grows, the cultural and ecological environment improves, and the world's understanding of Chinese culture and Chinese painting deepens, a new era of development will emerge for Chinese painting. However, regardless of how Chinese painting evolves in the future, two elements will remain indispensable: brushwork and humanistic spirit. Brushwork is the foundation of Chinese painting, while the humanistic spirit is its soul. Thus, emphasizing brushwork and humanistic spirit is an eternal topic in Chinese painting.
You Wuqu specializes in landscape painting. He believes that landscape painting is an artistic practice where the artist captures the spirit of nature through their own. To achieve a certain level of artistic mastery, a painter must first shape their own spirit, which is why Chinese painters must first be well-versed scholars. Traditional high-level Chinese painters possess a reclusive sentiment and a detached nature, essentially aligning with the way of nature. The creation of nature is a long and gradual process, impossible to rush. A great Chinese painter must undergo a prolonged period of cultivation, refining various techniques and integrating them into their own style, allowing the forces of nature and the human spirit to merge naturally, achieving the so-called harmony between heaven and man.
Due to space constraints, You Wuqu explains three principles of painting:
1. Calligraphy as the foundation of painting. Calligraphy is the root of painting, and the depth of calligraphic skill directly influences a painter's ultimate achievement.
2. The fusion of brush, ink, and water. Water is the source of life, nourishing all creations of nature. Thus, when brush, ink, and water truly merge, they align with the way of nature, capturing the essence of creation. Water is the lifeblood of Chinese painting.
3. Rich yet transparent, empty yet profound—the true realm of painting.