A Study Of Shen Yaochu’s Chicken Painting

Shen Yaochu is recognized as a master of freehand Chinese painting on both sides of the Taiwan Strait,and his painting art has a certain impact on contemporary painting circles.Due to historical and geographical reasons,the study of Shen Yaochu’s art is not yet substantial and complete.This paper takes Shen Yaochu’s chicken paintings as the research object,combined with the painter’s related paintings and inscriptions and postscripts.This paper makes a thorough and comprehensive analysis and collation of the causes,styles,evolution and artistic achievements of his chicken paintings.His lifelong artistic exploration has been constantly innovating and changing on the basis of inheriting the national cultural tradition.Chicken is the main theme of Shen Yaochu’s freehand flower-and-bird paintings,and his artistic attainments in chicken paintings.It is also an important manifestation of his outstanding achievements in freehand brushwork.Shen Yaochu often painted chickens because he lived in the countryside for a long time,accompanied by chickens and ducks day and night,and had a meticulous understanding of chickens.On the basis of inheriting the advantages of traditional Chinese painting brush and ink,Shen Yaochu’s chicken also draws lessons from and absorbs the concepts and treatment methods of Western painting,showing a simple and profound meaning.The vigorous personal style of pen and ink highlights a strong literati interest.The chicken in his works is not only the poultry in nature,but also the symbol of Shen Yaochu’s memory of his native life and childhood.At the same time,he uses "chicken" to express his deep feelings for his hometown and relatives.Shen Yaochu has a simple and deep feeling for chickens.His paintings on the theme of chicken are also the best proof of his pursuit of "walking across the four seas,playing the six classics calmly".This paper enriches the artistic research of Shen Yaochu’s freehand flower-and-bird painting.