Xu Beihong

On July 19, 1895, Xu Beihong was born in Qitingqiao Town, Yixing County, Jiangsu Province.
In 1901, I followed my father to study calligraphy and wanted to learn painting. However, my father did not allow it, so I quietly drew chickens, ducks, cats, and dogs by the river next to my house.
In 1904, after reading the Four Books, Poetry, Book, Yi, Li, and Zuo Zhuan, he began to learn painting with his father. Every day during class, I would copy a boundary painting or figure painting by Wu Youru. His father also taught him how to sketch characters, paint portraits of siblings and neighbors.
In 1905, he went to Liyang with his father by boat, and the scenery turned into a poem: "Spring water is green, spring mountains are beautiful, one sail has good wind and signal, and the boat crosses thousands of mountains.
In 1908, he went to neighboring counties with his father to paint feathers, flowers, landscapes, portraits, carve seals, and write Spring Festival couplets. He began his wandering career and developed a habit of never leaving his pen.
In 1912, due to his father's serious illness, he returned to his hometown and worked as an art teacher at Yixing Women's Normal School, Pengcheng Middle School, and Shiqi Elementary School.
In 1914, after his father passed away and he borrowed money from his close friend Tao Linshu to bury him, he decided to go to Shanghai to find an opportunity to work and study part-time. But due to the inability to find a job, I had to return to Yixing.
In 1915, he went to Shanghai again to make a living by drawing illustrations and advertisements, and began selling paintings. The work 'Horse' received praise from the brothers Gao Jianfu and Gao Qifeng, who believed that 'although Han Wo was ancient, there was no room for error'.
In 1916, he was admitted to Zhendan University to study French and continued to paint in his spare time; In March, he was hired by Mingzhi University to paint and give lectures, thus gaining knowledge of scholars such as Kang Youwei. And painted portraits of Kang Youwei, his deceased wife He Jianli, and their friends.
In 1917, he received a scholarship from Mingzhi University and traveled to Japan to study art. Appreciating Japanese art collections, I feel that Japanese flower and bird painters can break away from old habits, but still lack charm. I also got to know Japanese calligrapher, painter, and collector Bu Zhe Nakamura, and witnessed many precious stone inscriptions lost from China.
In 1918, he was hired by Cai Yuanpei as a mentor at the Painting Research Association of Peking University and devoted himself to the New Culture Movement before the May Fourth Movement. At the opening ceremony of the Painting Research Association, it was advocated to absorb the strengths of Western painting, create new styles, and write an article for the Journal of Painting, pointing out the decadence and decline of Chinese painting in that era, and calling on aspiring artists in the art world to rise up and innovate; Also created works such as "Ancient Pine and Cypress in Xishan" and "Clear and Green Mountains".
In 1919, with the help of Cai Yuanpei and Fu Zengxiang, he went to France to study; In October, I arrived in Paris to study the strengths of Western art at various art museums. Then, I studied sketching at the Xu Liang Academy for two months and was admitted to the National Higher School of Fine Arts in Paris to study oil painting and sketching at the Flemish Studio. In my spare time, I go to the Louvre Museum and the Luxembourg Museum, which showcase ancient and modern art treasures, to paint and compare the similarities and differences between different schools.
In 1920, he met the French painter Dayan and would bring his works to 65 Hickey Road every Sunday to seek advice on calligraphy. He also attended the tea party held by the painter there and learned from conversations with Meniere, B é anor, and others.
In 1921, he visited the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts in Germany and traveled to countries such as England, Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy.
In 1922, he painted for more than ten hours a day, copied Rembrandt's works in the museum, and drew many fierce beasts at the Berlin Zoo.
In 1923, he returned to Paris and continued his studies at the É cole Normale Sup é rieure in Paris. And under the guidance of Dayang, he meticulously studied sketching and drew a large number of human body compositions at various art institutes in Mombasa. For oil painting of the human body, it is necessary to carefully depict and utilize the ability of dictation. The oil painting 'Old Woman' has been selected for the French National Art Exhibition.
In 1924, he created works such as "Portrait of a Cat", "Xiao Sheng", "The Horseman and the Horse", and "Distant News".
In 1925, he went to Singapore to paint for Chen Jiageng and the Xiamen University he founded. At the end of winter, return to China.
In 1926, portraits of Kang Youwei and Huang Zhen were created. Exhibiting works from previous years in Shanghai has attracted attention from the cultural community. Kang Youwei praised Xu Beihong's works as "profound and exquisite, hidden and magnificent, unparalleled in China, and incomparable". After returning to China for three months, return to Europe. First, go to Brussels, Belgium to copy Jordan's works, and then go to Antwerp to observe Rubens' masterpieces.
In 1927, he went to Switzerland to appreciate the works of Holbein and Bocklin. In Switzerland, I went to Zurich specifically to watch the works of Hoddle, a representative of Impressionism on the left bank of the Rhine River. Traveling through famous Italian cities, lingering in front of Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper", Raphael's "Athenian School", Botticelli's giant murals, Michelangelo's Sistine ceiling painting, Titian's "Assumption of the Virgin Mary" for a long time, unable to bear to leave; Nine additional works were selected for the French National Art Exhibition and achieved success with their unique Eastern charm, earning a reputation in the French art world; With the determination to revive Chinese painting, Xu Beihong returned to China and lived in Xiafeifang, Shanghai.
In 1928, he served as the head of the Fine Arts Department at the Southern Academy of Arts and a professor at the Art Department of Nanjing Central University. Started creating a large-scale oil painting titled 'Five Hundred Scholars of Tian Heng' based on the 'Records of the Grand Historian'; During the summer vacation, I went to Fuzhou to create the oil painting "Cai Gong's Difficult Picture"; At the end of the year, he went to Beiping to serve as the dean of Beiping Academy of Arts.
In 1929, a reform of art teaching was carried out at the Beiping Academy of Arts, and Qi Baishi was appointed as a professor, but it was obstructed by conservative forces. Create the Chinese painting 'Poetry of the Six Dynasties'. Publish articles in art exhibition magazines to promote and advocate realistic art. Invited by Yan Wenliang, went to Suzhou Academy of Fine Arts to give lectures.
In 1930, he completed the oil painting "Five Hundred Scholars of Tian Heng" and published "Self narration of Compassion" and "Various Art Exhibitions in France" in the magazine "Good Friends".
In 1931, Xu Beihong held art exhibitions in Lyon, France and Brussels, Belgium, and completed the Chinese painting "Nine Directions High". He also gave lectures at Nankai University in Tianjin.
In 1932, he moved from Danfeng Street in Nanjing to No. 6 Fuhougang and named himself "Weichao". He hung a couplet with the words "Jingshiyu" that read "holding prejudice and acting unilaterally" in his art studio. Created works such as "The Rooster Sounds White in the World" and "Reflections", and held a joint art exhibition with Yan Wenliang. Also compiled a monograph called "Painting Standards".
In 1933, he completed the oil painting work 'Behind Me'; From May to June, works such as "Jiufanggao", "Memories of the Ancient Capital", "Stupidity", "Loquat", "Rooster", "Lakeside", "Duck", "Poetry of the Six Dynasties", "Water Buffalo", "Wulao Peak on Mount Lu", "Horse", "Lion", "Goose Group", "Nanjing Yiduo", "Cat", etc. participated in a Chinese painting exhibition held at the National Museum of Foreign Art in France. He also held a personal art exhibition in Brussels, Belgium, visited The Hague and Amsterdam in the Netherlands, visited Rembrandt's former residence, and held a Chinese painting exhibition in Milan, Italy.
In 1934, at the invitation of the Berlin Art Society, he held solo art exhibitions in Berlin and Frankfurt, Germany; From May to July, Chinese modern art exhibitions were held successively in Moscow and Leningrad. After returning to China, he created other works such as "New Life Comes to Life" and "Stupidity".
In 1935, he took his students to Mount Huangshan to paint from nature, and completed the oil paintings "Caixia" and "Mount Huangshan". I went to Guangxi and created Chinese painting works such as "Crossing the Lijiang River", "Fish Eagle", "Ink Pig", "Hammer Tree", and "Tiger and Rabbit". Facilitating the Soviet printmaking exhibitions in Nanjing and Shanghai, Jing wrote a preface for the exhibitions.
In 1936, he went to Guangxi again, lived in Guilin and Yangshuo, and sailed on the Li River. Completed works such as "Against the Wind", "Snow Scene", "Shepherd and Cow", "Village Song", "Morning Song", "Heroic Memories", "Wind and Rain Chicken Singing", etc.
In 1937, Xu Beihong held art exhibitions in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Changsha; I bought back the treasure of Chinese figure painting "87 Immortals" from a German lady in Hong Kong. In Guilin, he created the freehand landscape painting "Spring Rain on the Li River" and the Chinese painting "Wind, Rain, Chicken Singing" that yearned for brightness. With the relocation of Central University to Chongqing, he created works depicting the suffering of the people, such as "Ba Ren Ji Shui" and "Poor Woman".
In the summer of 1938, I presided over a workshop for art teachers in middle schools throughout Guangxi province. Completed works such as "Bull Bath", "Guangyan", "Injured Lion", and "Elephant Trunk Hill", and held a personal art exhibition in Hong Kong.
In 1939, he went to Singapore to hold a personal art exhibition and donated all the proceeds from selling paintings to Chinese disaster victims. Create an oil painting titled 'Put Down Your Whip' based on street drama.
In 1940, he went to give lectures at the International University of India and held solo art exhibitions at both the university and Kolkata. I have created over 10 oil paintings, sketches, and sketches for Tagore, as well as Chinese paintings such as "Portrait of Tagore" and "Horses". Sketch a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi. Create sketches of works such as "Along the River", "Enjoyment of Wild Food", "After School", "Makeup", "Darjeeling", and "Forest of the Himalayas". Completed the Chinese painting masterpiece "Yu Gong Moves Mountains" in Darjeeling, inspiring the people with Yu Gong's unwavering spirit at a time of national survival.
In 1941, he completed the work "Running Horse" and held charity exhibitions in Penang, Ipoh, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, donating all the income to Chinese refugees.
In 1942, he returned to teach at Chongqing Central University and held a labor army exhibition in Kunming. He also created the Chinese painting "Jizushan", oil painting "Jizushan Temple Character", and "Six Horses".
In 1943, a painting exhibition was held in Chongqing to display the representative works of Chinese painting and oil painting and sketch works created over the years. In addition, he created works such as Purple Air Coming from the East, Confucius lecturing, Mountain Ghosts, National Sorrow, Du Fu's Poetic Style, Liao Jingwen's Portrait, Li Yinquan's Portrait, Ginkgo Tree, Qingcheng Mountain, Lions, Double Drinking Horses, Plum Blossoms, and Eagle Flying.
In 1944, he created works such as "Thin Sleeves in the Cold Sky", "Bamboo Cultivation at Sunset", "Moonlight", and "Flying Eagle"; Xia Wei is suffering from hypertension and chronic nephritis, and has been hospitalized for six months.
In 1945, despite gradually recovering from illness and weakened physical condition, he continued to teach art students at Central University.
In 1946, he arrived in Beiping from Chongqing via Nanjing and Shanghai and became the president of the National Beiping Art College. He hired a group of artists to teach on campus, established a complete teaching system, and served as the honorary president of the Beiping Art Writers Association, promoting the realism art movement.
In 1947, a written speech titled "Steps for the Establishment of New Chinese Painting" was published to clarify artistic propositions; Another Xu Beihong art exhibition will be held in Shanghai.
In 1948, he wrote a manuscript for the book "A Review and Prospect of Chinese Art" and published an article titled "The Renaissance of Chinese Art Movement".
In 1949, as a representative of China, attended the first World Peace Conference held in Prague; In July, elected as an executive member of the All China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and chairman of the All China Artists Association; In September, he was invited to attend the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and was appointed President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.
In 1950, he created oil paintings such as "Portrait of Cavalry Hero Tai Xide" and "Chairman Mao Among the People", completed sketch works such as "Portrait of Gou Furong", "Portrait of Rong Guanxiu", and "Portrait of Li Changlin", completed sketch works such as "Lu Xun and Qu Qiubai", and wrote "Biography of Ren Bonian" for the "Ren Bonian Painting Collection".
In 1951, he went to Shandong to experience life and collect materials at the Shuzhengyi Water Conservancy Project construction site. He created works like Engineer Zhang Jin, Farmer Ren Jidong and model worker Lu Fangbin. Preparing to create "Contemporary Foolish Old Man" that reflects the spirit of the people changing the world in the new era, unfortunately suffered a cerebral hemorrhage while composing.
In 1952, lying sick in bed, he still cared about art activities both domestically and internationally in China, as well as the teaching work of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. He planned to compile the "Patriotic Education Wall Chart" and compile important art treasures from various dynasties.
In 1953, he created works such as "Light at the Foremost Point" and "Clearing the Rough Ground to Achieve Peace"; In September, appointed as the Executive Chairman of the Second National Congress of Literary and Artistic Workers; On September 26th, he passed away in Beijing at the age of 58.