Liu Xian Research Of Engraving

Liu Xian (1915-1990), the pioneer of China’s new woodcut movement, was also an outstanding printmaking artist as well as an expert in art history. First learnt printmaking from Lu Xun in earlier years, Liu Xian set up "Unknown Woodcut Club" in China, and then studied abroad in Tokyo Imperial Academy of Fine Arts (Musashino Academy of Fine Arts today). After the "July7th Incident", Liu Xian came back to China without hesitation, he went to Yan’an in1939, and attended Yan’an Literature and Art Symposium in1942. During his stay in Yan’an, Chairman Mao Zedong once encouraged him with inscription writes:"Though I don’t know how to make woodcut, I quite like appreciating it. Although Liu Xian just come to this remote area, he has created a lot of great works. Hope he could continue with his hard work and strive to create new arts of our own.’ After the liberation, Liu Xian has been engaged in art career and insist in printmaking. He has contributed thousands of printmaking works and illustrations all through his life. Liu Xian’s works closely linked with the fate of the Chinese society, and all his works can be regarded as a scroll recording the old and a new China. Liu devoted himself in studying and researching on black-and-white woodcut, he absorbed the length of wood carving masters domestic and abroad, and finally formed his own unique artistic style, his lines are free and easy, flexible and varied, always with rigorous composition and poetic beauty.First of all, the essay will illustrate Liu Xian’s works and features in different periods. By studying themes, styles and techniques of different creative period, analyze his skills and ideology. The essay believes that Liu Xian’s printmaking works represent the voice in-depth of his heart, he cried for himself and the people at that time. The essay also introduces his education background with Japanese woodcut master Unichi Hiratsuka and Vladmir Andreevich Favorskyfrom Soviet Union, and analyzes how he absorbed the length from others and created his unique woodcut style.At last, the essay summarizes how Liu Xian’s works contribution to Chinese woodcut field and influence us.