MASTER PAINTERS OF LINGNAN SCHOOL

MASTER PAINTERS OF LINGNAN SCHOOL

嶺南畫(huà)派大家

中國(guó)近代革新自南方起。西方思潮與維新思想的率先沖擊，不僅孕育了社會(huì)改革精英，也影響了中國(guó)藝術(shù)的變革，“折衷中西，融匯古今”的嶺南畫(huà)派便由此催生。

明清兩代，嶺南畫(huà)壇名家輩出，開(kāi)始逐漸形成自己的特點(diǎn)。及至近代，西洋畫(huà)法傳進(jìn)中國(guó)，嶺南畫(huà)家首開(kāi)中西結(jié)合之風(fēng)，“嶺南畫(huà)派”獨(dú)步天下。而油畫(huà)和版畫(huà)等畫(huà)種，主要也是由嶺南畫(huà)家介紹進(jìn)中國(guó)，并由他們使之走向繁榮的。

革命精神是“嶺南畫(huà)派”產(chǎn)生和發(fā)展的基礎(chǔ)。畫(huà)派創(chuàng)始人高劍父、陳樹(shù)人均曾追隨孫中山奔走國(guó)事。民國(guó)初年，懷著通過(guò)藝術(shù)陶冶“改造國(guó)魂”的目標(biāo)，高劍父與其弟高奇峰在上海開(kāi)辟了“嶺南畫(huà)派”的主要宣傳陣地——《真相畫(huà)報(bào)》和審美書(shū)館，運(yùn)用畫(huà)集與單張為新派繪畫(huà)搖旗吶喊。他們?cè)谥袊?guó)畫(huà)的基礎(chǔ)上融合東洋、西洋畫(huà)法，注重寫(xiě)生，主張創(chuàng)新與寫(xiě)實(shí)的繪畫(huà)理念與實(shí)踐受到世人的廣泛關(guān)注，與京津派、海派共同成為20世紀(jì)主宰中國(guó)畫(huà)壇的三大派系。

“嶺南畫(huà)派”逐漸名聲在外，然而這個(gè)名稱(chēng)卻曾令創(chuàng)始人們感到不滿。據(jù)關(guān)山月說(shuō)：“當(dāng)時(shí)高、陳諸先生認(rèn)為‘嶺南畫(huà)派’這個(gè)名稱(chēng)帶有狹窄的地域性，容易使人誤解為只是地區(qū)性的畫(huà)家團(tuán)體。更主要的是，它沒(méi)能體現(xiàn)出吸收外來(lái)營(yíng)養(yǎng)使傳統(tǒng)藝術(shù)發(fā)揚(yáng)光大的革新國(guó)畫(huà)的理想。”所以，高劍父從來(lái)沒(méi)使用過(guò)“嶺南畫(huà)派”這一名稱(chēng)，而自稱(chēng)為“折衷派”。所謂“折衷”，即博采眾長(zhǎng)，合于一身。

GAO JIANFU (1879-1951)高劍父

Born in the Panyu District of Guangzhou, Gao learned painting from Chinese painter Ju Lian (1828-1904) in the early years of his life. Later, Gao went to study in Macau and Japan. He returned to China to lead the United League of Guangdong in the 1911 Revolution. After the Revolution, he dedicated himself to the development of the Lingnan School of painting. A firm advocate of modernised Chinese painting throughout his lifetime, he synthesised Japanese and Western painting techniques into traditional Chinese painting and was particularly skilled in drawing from nature. His works were in typical Lingnan style.

CHEN SHUREN (1884-1948)陳樹(shù)人

Born in the Panyu District of Guangzhou, Chen was known along with Gao Jianfu and Gao Qifeng as the “Two Gaos and One Chen”, and was one of the founders of the Lingnan School of painting. In his early years, Chen studied in Japan, and graduated from Kyoto Academy of Fine Arts and Rikkyo University in Tokyo. Later, he followed Sun Yat-sen in the democratic revolution and served in a number of major positions. His style was refreshing, serene and unique.

GAO QIFENG (1889-1933) 高奇峰

Born in the Panyu District of Guangzhou, Gao Qifeng was one of the founders of the Lingnan School of painting. He was in fluenced by his elder brother Gao Jianfu in terms of painting skills, artistic ideas and life experience. He specialised in the painting of flora and fauna, and was quite skilled in landscape and portrait paintings. His works were well-known for neat and powerful brushwork, and a realistic and poetic style, thanks to his skilful use of colour and ink.

LI XIONGCAI (1910-2001) 黎雄才

Born in the city of Zhaoqing in Guangdong and a student of Gao Jianfu, Li was a representative of the 2nd generation of Lingnan School painters. He specialised in landscape painting, particularly on a large scroll. His works, painted with bold fluid sweeps of the brush, created an imposing atmosphere and suggested great majesty and splendour. His work in the early 1930's, A Rainy Night in Xiaoxiang, won a gold medal at the Brussels International Exposition of 1935.

GUAN SHANYUE (1912-2000) 關(guān)山月

Guan Shanyue, a native of Yangjiang City in Guangdong, graduated from City Normal College of Guangzhou in 1933. When teaching in an elementary school, he was discovered by Gao Jianfu, and was recruited into Chunshui Painting Studio where he learned painting with Gao. Guan upheld the reformative ideas of the Lingnan School of painting, and sought to paint contemporary and real-life themes. For that purpose, he plunged into the thick of life to seek inspirations and drew from it.