Evolution of the still life in Chinese ink painting (the first half of the 20th century)
No. 2 (33) (2024), Forum
No. 2 (33) (2024)

Evolution of the still life in Chinese ink painting (the first half of the 20th century)

Forum
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46748/ARTEURAS.2024.02.005
Published 2024-06-28
Marina A. Neglinskaya
Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation

eLibrary ID neglinskaya@mail.ru

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to summarise the development of the still life genre in the traditional Chinese ink painting Guohua of the 1910s–1950s. The subject compositions of the leading masters, Wu Changshuo and Qi Baishi, have been studied. The period of their creative rise was accompanied by dramatic social changes in Chinese society, which was associated with the politicisation of art and also affected the still life paintings created by the artists. The genre and style innovations of two Guohua masters during the first half of twentieth century contributed to the birth of modern Chinese art. The article analyses the correspondence between the meaning of pictorial images and calligraphy. The author proceeds from the previously established fact: the beginning of Chinese still life was laid by the 18th century compositions depicting One Hundred Ancient Objects (Baigu) and the New Year's installation (Suizhao-tu). The article shows the preservation of traditions and renewal of themes in Chinese still lifes of the post-imperial period.

https://doi.org/10.46748/ARTEURAS.2024.02.005

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