Summary:
This paper analyzes the artistic career of Yan Bolong, a famous modern and modern flower and bird painter, and the evolution of his artistic style. The article first traces the relationship between Yan Bolong's teacher and apprenticeship, revealing how he absorbed the strengths of various families on the basis of traditional literati painting, and then formed a unique artistic language. Through a detailed analysis of his representative works, this paper explores Yan Bolong's innovations in composition, brushwork, and use of color, as well as how to place personal emotions and aesthetic ideals in his paintings, realizing the transformation from imitation to originality.
I. Introduction
Yan Bolong, whose real name is Yunlin, is known as Bolong, known as Changbai Buyi, was born in Beijing in 1898 and died in 1955. As an outstanding representative of the Beijing-Tianjin School of Painting during the Republic of China, Yan Bolong enjoyed a high reputation in the field of flower and bird painting. He not only studied under many art giants, including Qi Baishi, Chen Banding, Chen Shizeng and Wang Mengbai, but also became his disciple. Yan Bolong's artistic career has witnessed the gradual formation of his deep understanding of traditional painting techniques and personal style.
He is good at various themes of landscapes, figures, flowers and birds, and animals, and especially in flower and bird painting. Because of his indifference to fame and fortune, and his self-proclaimed "cloth clothes", Yan Bolong's artistic creations more reflect the love for nature and life, as well as the pursuit of noble personality, which makes his works not only admirable in terms of technique, but also touching people's hearts on the spiritual level.
II. The background of the Beijing-Tianjin School of Painting and Yan Bolong's artistic soil
A. Overview of the formation and development of the Beijing-Tianjin School
The Beijing-Tianjin School is an extremely important regional art school in the history of modern Chinese painting, active in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China to the early founding of the People's Republic of China, mainly centered in Beijing and Tianjin. The formation of this school of painting benefited from the cultural integration and geographical advantages of the two cities, attracting many artists to gather and exchange, forming a unique artistic style.
On the basis of inheriting the traditional literati painting, the Beijing-Tianjin School actively absorbed Western painting techniques, advocating "middle school as the body, Western learning as the application", and tried to find a balance between tradition and modernity. It is characterized by its emphasis on the depiction of real-life themes, emphasizing individual expression and artistic innovation, while not losing the charm of traditional brushwork. Representative figures such as Jin Beilou, Chen Shizeng, Qi Baishi, etc., not only made achievements in art, but also promoted the development of the school of painting through teaching, exhibitions and other activities, cultivated a large number of rising stars, and had a profound impact on the Chinese painting scene in the 20th century.
B. Yan Bolong's position and contribution in the Beijing-Tianjin School
As a member of the Beijing-Tianjin School, Yan Bolong's artistic career is closely linked to the development of the school. In terms of mentorship, he not only directly learned the essence of Wang Mengbai and other predecessors, but also integrated these traditional techniques with personal perceptions, forming a unique style that is both ancient and innovative.
In his artistic practice, Yan Bolong enriched the artistic language of the Beijing-Tianjin School with his exquisite flower and bird painting skills, especially in the technique of "part-time work with writing", he skillfully combined the delicacy of the fine brush with the agility of freehand, showing the vitality and interest of the world of flowers and birds. In addition, Yan Bolong not only promoted his artistic concept by participating in art exhibitions and publishing art collections, but also made important contributions to the dissemination and influence of the Beijing-Tianjin School of painting. It can be said that Yan Bolong is an indispensable promoter and practitioner of the Beijing-Tianjin School, and his artistic exploration has added new vitality to the school.
C. The influence of the social and cultural environment on Yan Bolong's artistic style
At the beginning of the 20th century, Chinese society was in the midst of drastic changes, and the collision and blending of old and new cultures provided artists with rich creative inspiration and challenges. Yan Bolong's artistic growth is precisely in the context of such an uncertain era. On the one hand, the rise of democratic and republican ideas after the Xinhai Revolution prompted artists to pay attention to reality and reflect the characteristics of the times. On the other hand, the influx of Western art, especially the perspective and color techniques of Western painting, has brought new perspectives and expressions to Chinese painters.
Yan Bolong's artistic style was deeply influenced by the cultural atmosphere of this period, and while retaining the charm of traditional brushwork, he also actively explored and innovated, trying to integrate his thoughts on the changes of the times and personal emotional experience into his works. For example, his works not only depict natural landscapes in detail, but also often use objects to express lyricism, implying a sensitive response to social changes and a yearning for harmony with nature, reflecting the artist's independent thinking and artistic pursuit in a complex social and cultural environment.
III. The Mentoring Relationship and the Formation of Early Artistic Styles
A. The influence of Wang Mengbai and other famous teachers on Yan Bolong
Yan Bolong's artistic path was deeply influenced by his teacher Wang Mengbai. Wang Mengbai, as a famous flower and bird painter from the end of the Qing Dynasty to the beginning of the Republic of China, is known for his vivid and eclectic painting style, and has a deep understanding and innovative use of traditional techniques. During his study with Wang Mengbai, Yan Bolong not only mastered solid traditional painting skills, but more importantly, learned how to seek individual expression on the basis of following tradition.
Wang Mengbai's emphasis on observing nature and direct sketching is a teaching method that attaches importance to life experience, which makes Yan Bolong's works full of vivid natural breath and fresh vitality. In addition to Wang Mengbai, Yan Bolong was also guided by many other famous teachers, and these diverse artistic nourishments laid a solid foundation for him to form a unique artistic style later.
B. The legacy of the Silla Shanren and the Bada Shanren in Yan Bolong's early painting style
In Yan Bolong's early works, we can clearly see his inheritance and tribute to the artistic style of the Qing Dynasty painters Silla Shanren (Hua Rong) and Bada Shanren (Zhu Qi). The paintings of the Silla mountain people are known for their freshness and poetry, and Yan Bolong draws on the elegance of the Silla mountain people in composition and coloring, so that the picture presents a transcendent literati feeling.
The art of Bada Shanren is known for its concise and exaggerated brushwork and profound and arrogant artistic conception, from which Yan Bolong learned how to convey the deepest emotions with the fewest brushstrokes, so his works often exude an otherworldly tranquility and power. The fusion of these two styles made Yan Bolong's early painting style not only maintain the nobility and indifference of traditional literati painting, but also lose the sincere expression of personal feelings.
C. Analysis of Early Works: Initial Attempts at Imitation of Antiquity and Self-Exploration
Yan Bolong's early artistic creation was a process of constantly learning from the ancients, simulating ancient works, and at the same time trying to find his own artistic language. For example, in the series of "Imitation of Bada Shanren Flower and Bird Album", Yan Bolong exquisitely reproduces the unique composition and brushwork of Bada Shanren, showing his deep understanding of the essence of classical art.
However, Yan Bolong is not satisfied with simple imitation, he has begun to integrate his own observations and feelings into his works while imitating antiquity, trying to make small innovations within the traditional framework. For example, when depicting the same subject, Yan Bolong will adjust the color combination according to his own aesthetic preferences, or give flowers and birds a more vivid and natural posture, these initial explorations mark a key step towards the establishment of his own style after gradually moving away from pure imitation. Through continuous practice and reflection, Yan Bolong's early works have shown a tendency to transcend his teacher and move towards his own family, which laid the foundation for his future artistic achievements.
IV. Transformation and maturation of artistic styles
A. Characteristics of the mid-period work: the transition from imitation to independent style
Entering the middle stage of his creation, Yan Bolong's artistic style has undergone a significant transformation, and his works at this stage are no longer simple imitations of his predecessors, but gradually show distinctive personal characteristics. He began to consciously integrate the various techniques he had learned, no longer simply copying the brushwork of the ancients, but according to his own aesthetic concept and deep understanding of nature, he created flower and bird paintings with both traditional charm and a sense of the times. In his works of this period, Yan Bolong paid more attention to the direct feeling and expression of life in the natural world, and the paintings included both delicate and nuanced depictions of fine brushstrokes and freehand brushstrokes, reflecting an important stage of the transition from imitation to independent style.
B. The formation and application of the technique of "part-time work with writing".
"Part-time work with writing" is an important symbol of Yan Bolong's artistic maturity, this technique combines fine and rigorous brushwork with free and free freehand, which not only retains the delicacy of traditional flower and bird painting, but also gives the work a vivid and lively atmosphere. In Yan Bolong's pen, Gongbi and Freehand are no longer two completely separate techniques, but penetrate and complement each other. In the same work, he is able to skillfully depict the subject image with fine strokes, and use the freehand of large brushstrokes on the background or minor elements, which makes the picture layered, both deep and flexible, reflecting his profound artistic skills and unique artistic insights.
C. The uniqueness of Yan Bolong's brushwork: the integration and innovation of Yuan, Ming and Qing flower and bird painting methods
The reason why Yan Bolong's brushwork is unique is that he successfully combines the simplicity of the Yuan Dynasty, the complexity of the Ming Dynasty and the simplicity of the Qing Dynasty to form his own unique artistic language. He borrowed from the indifference and nature of painters such as Huang Gongwang in the Yuan Dynasty, combined with the delicacy and elegance of Shen Zhou and Wen Zhengming in the Ming Dynasty, and at the same time absorbed the spontaneous and innovative spirit of painters such as the "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou" in the Qing Dynasty.
On the basis of this integration, Yan Bolong further developed to create a brush and ink expression that is both ancient and modern. His lines are smooth and powerful, and his use of colors is rich and harmonious, showing his artistic re-creation after a deep understanding of tradition and modernity, nature and humanity.
D. The cultural symbol and artistic concept of the title of "Changbai Cloth".
The title of "Changbai Cloth Clothes" is not only a symbol of Yan Bolong's personal identity, but also a concentrated embodiment of his artistic concept and cultural pursuit. Changbai symbolizes his deep affection for his hometown Changbai Mountain and his infinite yearning for the natural features of the north; "Buyi" reflects his indifference to fame and fortune, his willingness to live in poverty, and his adherence to the spirit of literati painting. In art, "Changbai Cloth" also means that Yan Bolong pursues an artistic realm that transcends material appearances and goes straight to the depths of the soul.
In his works, whether it is the tall pine branches, the proud plum blossoms, the leisurely waterfowl, and the light flowers, they all reveal a kind of tranquility and indifference beyond the world, which is the perfect combination of his artistic concept and cultural symbolism. Through the cultural symbol of "Changbai Cloth", Yan Bolong's art not only shows his affectionate praise for natural beauty, but also conveys his profound thinking about the philosophy of life and the true meaning of art.
V. Aesthetic characteristics and theoretical discussion of Yan Bolong's flower and bird painting art
A. Composition and spatial treatment of Gan's flower and bird paintings
Yan Bolong is unique in composition, he is good at using the contrast between blank space and actual painting to construct a spatial layout that is both sparse and dense. In his paintings, the subject is often carefully arranged near the golden section point, and the surrounding environment is depicted with delicate or rough brushstrokes, creating a far-reaching visual effect. At the same time, Yan Bolong is also good at using the technique of creating virtual and real things, through the blurring of the background, so that the picture has a far-reaching artistic conception, so that the viewer can feel the infinite imagination space in the limited two-dimensional space. This unique spatial processing technique not only enhances the sense of rhythm and rhythm of the picture, but also enhances the overall beauty of the work.
B. The use of pen and ink language and emotional expression
In the use of brush and ink, Yan Bolong inherited and carried forward the tradition of Chinese literati painting, his brush and ink are sometimes vigorous and powerful, sometimes soft and delicate, and the priority of the brushwork, the shade of the ink color, the wet and dry are full of the artist's emotions. Each stroke is not only a depiction of the external scene, but also an expression of the inner world. Especially when depicting the instantaneous dynamics of flowers and birds, Yan Bolong's brushstrokes are particularly vivid, as if they can capture the most subtle vitality of nature, making the picture full of vitality and vitality. The flexible use of this language of brush and ink not only shows superb skills, but also conveys the artist's love for nature and perception of life at a deeper level.
C. Creation of color and artistic conception
Yan Bolong pursues elegance and harmony in the use of color, and he makes good use of traditional Chinese colors such as green, ochre, cinnabar, etc., to create different seasonal atmospheres and a sense of time through the clever combination of colors. Although its color is not publicized, it can be seen in the warmth and depth, and the elegance is luxurious, giving people a quiet and distant aesthetic enjoyment. In some works, he also skillfully uses the contrast and complementarity of colors to enhance the visual impact of the picture, making the artistic conception of the work more profound and the emotional expression richer.
D. The integration of the concept of nature and the humanistic spirit
Yan Bolong's art of painting flowers and birds is deeply rooted in the soil of traditional Chinese culture, and he takes nature as his teacher, but not only a simple reproduction of nature, but also integrates a strong humanistic care into his paintings. The flowers and birds in his paintings are not only creatures in nature, but also carry the ideals and emotional sustenance of literati and doctors. Through the images of flowers and birds, Yan Bolong conveys the yearning for the harmonious coexistence of nature and the philosophical reflection on the relationship between man and nature, embodying the integration of the cosmology of the unity of nature and man and the spirit of humanism.
E. The relationship between the feeling of "cloth clothes" and the artistic realm
The feeling of "cloth clothes" is the core of Yan Bolong's artistic thought, which is not only reflected in his insistence on a simple lifestyle, but also has a profound influence on his artistic creation. In Yan Bolong's view, the highest state of art is not the show-off of skills, but the purity and freedom of the soul.
His identity as a "cloth cloth" has become a spiritual symbol, which is reflected in his paintings, which is the pursuit of natural and innocent beauty, and the insistence on maintaining an authentic self-attitude in a complex social background. This kind of feeling prompts him to constantly pursue a higher spiritual realm in his artistic creation, which makes his works transcend the beauty of form, and achieve the perfect unity of emotion and environment, mind and matter, showing the otherworldly artistic charm.
VI. Conclusion
Yan Bolong's art of painting flowers and birds has had a profound impact on later generations, becoming a bridge between tradition and modernity. His works not only provide rich learning resources for future students in terms of technique, but more importantly, his innovative spirit that transcends the times and the expression of deep emotions for nature have inspired countless painters to rethink and practice the art of flower and bird painting.
Yan Bolong emphasized the pursuit of individualized art and encouraged his disciples to innovate on the basis of inheriting traditions, which greatly promoted the diversified development of the flower and bird painting world. In terms of evaluation, Yan Bolong is known as a key figure in the transition period of modern and modern flower and bird painting, and his artistic achievements are widely regarded as an important milestone in the transformation of traditional literati painting to modernity, and have had an indelible impact on the development of flower and bird painting in China and even East Asia.
Author: Lu Xilin
Bibliography:
Yan Bolong's Paintings
Yan Bolong, Collection of Chinese Modern and Modern Masters
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