Research On Huang Binhong's "Shifu Painting" Concept

In Huang Binhong’s lifetime,only a few could truly understand the profoundness and unique style of his painting though he believed that more and more people would appreciate his art several decades later.Nowadays,Huang has become a prevalent academic topic and there emerged a number of significant studies,especially in anthologies and bibliography.However,there exist some problems in the ontological study of Huang’s art: 1)some articles,with pretentious cliché,were written for the sake of publication regardless of Huang’s primary sources,such as his six-volume collected works,complete works and chronicles;2)Unlike good literary criticism without creative experience,most of these studies have little insight because they are from theorists and critics of art who lack creative experience;3)some articles by a relatively small number of painters seem to have some understanding of Huang’s art based on their own creation,but they often fall into unsystematic and impressionistic criticism due to inadequate research and supporting sources.In light of the above literature review,the dissertation aims to take the primary sources as its point of departure.Many studies have argued that the aesthetic essence and ultimate pursuit of Huang’s painting is “massive density and blooming liveliness”or “inner beauty.” However,a close reading of Collected Works of Huang Binhong,The Complete Works of Huang Binhong,and Huang Binhong Chronicle shows the inadequacy of this argument.In fact,the so-called“massive density and blooming liveliness,” which mainly refers to the visual effect of painting,is not coined by Huang himself;and the notion“inner beauty” is a vague notion,with which Huang has showed little concern.“Literati Painting” is often regarded as the representative kind of Chinese painting.However,Huang was critical of “Literati Painting” in the Qing dynasty.What he emphasized is “Scholar Painting,” which appeared over 150 times in his writings! It is obvious that this concept shows the aesthetic essence of his painting and unifies his artistic ideas.The dissertation undertakes an unprecedented painstaking work for elaborating on its argument and analysis.First,it makes a list of the key words and concepts through a close reading of the enormous Collected Works of Huang Binhong and Huang Binhong Chronicle(ed.by Wang Zhongxiu).In this way,the isolated ideas about “Scholar Painting” in Huang’s works are classified and integrated into the framework for the dissertation.Second,it makes a chronology of Huang’s paintings marked with years of creation in order to present the evolution of his painting style.The dissertation consists of eight parts.The Introduction includesliterature review,the necessity and significance of the study,contributions,and framework of the dissertation.Chapter One explores the genealogy of “scholar”(shiren or shifu)and “literary men” as well as “Scholar Painting” and “Literati Painting.”It emphasizes that,rather than from the Northern Song dynasty,“Scholar Painting” took its origin from Wei-Jin dynasties when the scholars’ individual consciousness produced their artistic consciousness.It then mentions several watersheds in the historical development of “Scholar Painting” while illustrating some of its characteristics: integrating calligraphy with painting so as to foreground stroke-ink;highly symbolic and spiritualized regardless of appearances;highlighting both character and scholarship;synthesizing poetry,calligraphy,painting and seal-cutting art.Then it argues that “Scholar Painting” is the dominant form of art in the history of Chinese painting,and “Literati Painting” is but the continuation of “Scholar Painting” in the late Ming dynasty.This transformation was a result of the replacement of “scholars” with “literary men” in the late Ming dynasty and subsequent changes in naming.Huang spoke highly of traditional “Scholar Painting” and despised “Literati Painting” of the Ming and Qing dynasties,because artists in these two dynasties tended to make painting a kind of mere play with lavish uses of stroke-ink.Furthermore,they could not dive deep into the great tradition and were so different from their predecessors in terms of talent,character,scholarship and refinement,skill and creativity.Chapter Two examines the origin and growth of Huang’s “Scholar Painting” and elaborates on the relationship between his life and his outlook of scholars,between his artistic career and “Scholar Painting.” It analyzes the evolution of Huang’s painting in terms of his masterpieces in different times,and proposes the divisions of his artistic periods: the first period before 1930,the second period between 1930 and 1948,and the third period between 1948 and 1955.Chapter Three proposes the progress of Huang’s artistic journey:character and scholarship — calligraphy — line quality — stroke —strength — qi(breath or atmosphere)— ink — rhythm — “Scholar Painting.” In brief,it is humanity — calligraphy — stroke-ink —rhythmic vitality — “Scholar Painting.” Huang lays special emphasis on the importance of calligraphy in painting,foregrounding stroke-ink rather than the known rules and skills.His fondness for calligraphy as well as stroke-ink cannot be overemphasized.In other words,stroke-ink,as the integration of both technique and Tao,is the aesthetic end in itself.Therefore,stroke-ink is the most outstanding characteristic of the artistic expression of “Scholar Painting.”Chapter Four analyzes Huang’s artistic debt.While elaborating on his unique imitation of ancient masters and following nature in learning from the manuscripts,in appreciating and sketching the ancient work,andX in seeking the undecorated natural refinement and “massive density and blooming liveliness,” it focuses on his unconventional preference for defamiliarization,innocence,roughness,and darkness.Chapter Five discusses the category of Huang’s “Scholar Painting”:inner beauty,master painting and pure Chinese painting.In emphasizing the national characteristics of painting,he criticized both the rigid imitation of the ancients,and those who learned from Japanese and Western paintings.His criticism is quite appropriate in his times.Chapter Six makes an innovative analysis of the defects and its innate causes of Huang’s “Scholar Painting.” As an eminent painter,Huang rarely receives criticism from others.If any,they only mention his lack of passions.The analysis reveals that Huang aspired for a transformation from complexity to simplicity.The simple “Yipin(detachment and fugitiveness)painting” is his cherished dream.In his later years,he attempted to fulfill it but failed.The reason is as follows:His persistent use of complex painting skills and Zhuanzhou(ancient calligraphy)strokes,which helps maintain line strength,displays a lack of void and smoothness.Thus,his monotonous stroke-ink cannot help accomplish his transformation.Realizing this defect,Huang intended to acquire the void and smoothness in his painting by practicing Cao calligraphy,but he failed again.Fortunately,his Zhuan calligraphy,like the sounds of nature integrating vigour and grace,succeeds in combiningtenderness and strength.However,his achievement has not been recognized in the history of Chinese calligraphy.Chapter Seven discusses some inspirations from the theory and creation of Huang’s “Scholar Painting”:1)“Scholar Painting” has enduring value.Some critics,being ignorant of the spirit of Chinese art,belittled “Scholar Painting” and“Literati Painting” by locating them within the rich and profound historical traditions of Chinese painting.In fact,“Scholar Painting,” as the quintessence of Chinese painting,is produced by a group of highly accomplished intellectuals.They could have achieved the verisimilitude of form and appearance,but they longed to examine and reach the inner spiritual world of Taoism — the summit of Chinese painting.Furthermore,“Scholar Painting” emphasizes stroke-ink which represents the essence of Chinese painting;it remains the most demanding kind of painting because stroke-ink,unlike verisimilitude of form and appearance,requires a life-long practice in calligraphy.2)As the primary character of traditional Chinese painting,stroke-ink is so important that it constitutes its essence.However,stroke-ink,neglected in contemporary Chinese painting,is not well known because of the cultural discontinuity caused by the New Culture Movement and Cultural Revolution as well as the introduction of Xu Beihong’s sketch and Realist techniques.At present,the New Water-InkPainting imitates Western styles with traditional Chinese tools and materials;Commercial Painting is mere photographic reproduction of material details;the Kitsch School shows either weak lifelessness or vulgarity.Therefore,we can safely say that the greatest defect of contemporary Chinese painting lies in the absence of stroke-ink.Without stroke-ink Chinese painting can never be worthy of its name.It should be noted that water-ink is not equivalent to stroke-ink;the former refers to the external visual effects,while the latter carries the internal spirit.Huang had been practicing calligraphy two hours a day incessantly and exploring the skill of stroke-ink since the age of six or seven.Thanks to his unremitting efforts of eighty years,he gradually formed his way of painting.3)The achievement of Chinese painting and calligraphy depends on the creativity of the artist-subject rather than the techniques;and the creativity comes from the artist’s character,mind,personality,temperament,scholarship and refinement,vision,soul and diligence.In this sense,Huang might be an enlightening beacon for contemporary Chinese painting.In writing the dissertation,the author tries to present his analysis and argument succinctly and smoothly through a clear,concise and simple style.