Liu Haisu
Encyclopedia
Liu Haisu was a prominent contemporary Chinese painter, and noted art educator. He excelled in Chinese painting
and oil painting.
, was born in Changzhou
, Jiangsu Province. His initial given name was Pan, courtesy name Jifang, and sobriquet Haiwong. He excelled in oil painting
, Chinese painting and art education. He was devoted to painting at very early age. He entered landscape painting school in Shanghai
directed by Zhou Xiang to learn western painting when he was 14 years old. In 1910 he opened a painting school in his county. In November 1912, together with Wu Shiguang and Zhangyunguang, he founded the first school of fine arts in modern China, "Shanghai Academy of Chinese Painting" (上海国画美术院), the former Shanghai School of Fine Arts (上海美术专科学校). He initiated co-education, and pioneered human body model and traveling painting from nature, and thus was scolded as "artistic traitor", although he was supported by scholars such as Cai Yuanpei
. He lectured in Beijing University and held his first personal exhibition in 1918. He went to Japan to explore education of fine arts in 1919, and founded Tianma Party upon returning to China.
He went to Japan in October 1920 to attend the opening ceremony of Imperial Academy of Fine Arts, and when he returned, he wrote "Biography of Jean Francois Millet" and "Biography of Paul Cézanne
" to introduce western arts into China. He visited Japan
again in 1927 and made the acquaintance of Japanese painters.
He was a teacher of Pan Yuliang
; China's first female artist who brought Western influence into Chinese painting.
for a professional studying alone at 14. When he was 17, he established the first art school of modern China—Shanghai institute of Fine Art with his friends, Wu Shiguang and Zhang Jinguang.
Later he started coeducation and used nude models to teach paintings. He was the first man to do such things in China and it caused a lot of controversy. And people called him a traitor of the arts. However, he got support from Cai Yuanpei
(蔡元培), the principal of Peking University
. In 1998, he began teaching at Peking University
and held his first solo exhibition. In the same year, he also founded the “Art” magazine.
In 1919, he went to Japan to study painting and art education and attended the first art exhibition opening ceremony of the Art School of the imperial Japan. After returning home, he founded an institute—天马会.In 1920, he went to Japan once again. He participated in the opening ceremony of the new imperial Art School on behalf of the arts.
In 1927, he was forced to go to Japan because of the political persecution. Asahi Shimbun(朝日新闻社) once assisted him to hold solo exhibitions in Tokyo
. In 1938, he went home.
During 1918~1988, Liu climb the Mount Huang(黄山) for ten times. His most important works were mostly focused on Mount Huang. In addition, he went to Europe
twice. He communicated with the famous painters, such as Picasso and Matisse. He did made great contributions to the development and spread of Chinese painting.
In 1994, he passed away in Shanghai.
. In Shanghai
, he encounted his second wife—Zhang Yunshi(张韵士),a 17-year-old girl. Soon,they had their first son—Liu Hu(刘虎）.They went to Europe
under the help of Cai Yuanpei
(蔡元培). In 1931, they came back and later Zhang founded that her husband fell in love with another girl—Cheng Jiahe(成家和)，the student council of Academic Art School of Shanghai. Zhang offered separation. In 1933, Liu and Cheng got married. They got their daught when Liu was 40. After the outbreak of the war, Liu went to Spratily island and focused on supporting the armies and saving nations. During this period, Cheng put forward a divorce. He agreeed painfully. In 1944, he married with his fourth wife—Xia Yiqiao(夏伊乔)，a student of his. Xia took well care of Liu and his children. She also gave a hand to his former wives, Zhang and Cheng.
in 1945, Chinese government recaptured Taiwan, which had been occupied by Japan for 50 years. Liu was invited to visit Taiwan in the next year and communicate with artists in Taiwan. He was invited to visit the island again in 1989. He insisted on making this trip, despite his age of over 90. Thus, he was among the few painters from mainland China who visited Taiwan right after the World War II, and again after many years of separation. When talking about the impression of Taiwan, he mentioned that when he was there for first time, Taiwan was a pure rural land. When he visited the island again, it had become a prosperous place and completely incomparable.
Chinese painting
Chinese painting is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world. The earliest paintings were not representational but ornamental; they consisted of patterns or designs rather than pictures. Early pottery was painted with spirals, zigzags, dots, or animals...
and oil painting.
Overview
Liu Haishu (1896–1994), a native Fengyang, AnhuiAnhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
, was born in Changzhou
Changzhou
Changzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It was previously known as Yanling, Lanling, Jinling, and Wujin. Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, Changzhou borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Zhenjiang to the...
, Jiangsu Province. His initial given name was Pan, courtesy name Jifang, and sobriquet Haiwong. He excelled in oil painting
Oil painting
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...
, Chinese painting and art education. He was devoted to painting at very early age. He entered landscape painting school in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
directed by Zhou Xiang to learn western painting when he was 14 years old. In 1910 he opened a painting school in his county. In November 1912, together with Wu Shiguang and Zhangyunguang, he founded the first school of fine arts in modern China, "Shanghai Academy of Chinese Painting" (上海国画美术院), the former Shanghai School of Fine Arts (上海美术专科学校). He initiated co-education, and pioneered human body model and traveling painting from nature, and thus was scolded as "artistic traitor", although he was supported by scholars such as Cai Yuanpei
Cai Yuanpei
Cai Yuanpei was a Chinese educator and the president of Peking University. He was known for his critical evaluation of the Chinese culture that led to the influential May Fourth Movement...
. He lectured in Beijing University and held his first personal exhibition in 1918. He went to Japan to explore education of fine arts in 1919, and founded Tianma Party upon returning to China.
He went to Japan in October 1920 to attend the opening ceremony of Imperial Academy of Fine Arts, and when he returned, he wrote "Biography of Jean Francois Millet" and "Biography of Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th century conception of artistic endeavour to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century. Cézanne can be said to form the bridge between late 19th...
" to introduce western arts into China. He visited Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
again in 1927 and made the acquaintance of Japanese painters.
He was a teacher of Pan Yuliang
Pan Yuliang
Pan Yuliang, born Zhang Yuliang , was an award-winning Chinese painter, renowned as the first woman in the country to paint in the Western style. She had studied in Shanghai and Paris. Because her modernist works caused controversy and drew severe criticism in China during the 1930s, Pan returned...
; China's first female artist who brought Western influence into Chinese painting.
Biography
Liu loved painting at a very young age and went to ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
for a professional studying alone at 14. When he was 17, he established the first art school of modern China—Shanghai institute of Fine Art with his friends, Wu Shiguang and Zhang Jinguang.
Later he started coeducation and used nude models to teach paintings. He was the first man to do such things in China and it caused a lot of controversy. And people called him a traitor of the arts. However, he got support from Cai Yuanpei
Cai Yuanpei
Cai Yuanpei was a Chinese educator and the president of Peking University. He was known for his critical evaluation of the Chinese culture that led to the influential May Fourth Movement...
(蔡元培), the principal of Peking University
Peking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...
. In 1998, he began teaching at Peking University
Peking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...
and held his first solo exhibition. In the same year, he also founded the “Art” magazine.
In 1919, he went to Japan to study painting and art education and attended the first art exhibition opening ceremony of the Art School of the imperial Japan. After returning home, he founded an institute—天马会.In 1920, he went to Japan once again. He participated in the opening ceremony of the new imperial Art School on behalf of the arts.
In 1927, he was forced to go to Japan because of the political persecution. Asahi Shimbun(朝日新闻社) once assisted him to hold solo exhibitions in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. In 1938, he went home.
During 1918~1988, Liu climb the Mount Huang(黄山) for ten times. His most important works were mostly focused on Mount Huang. In addition, he went to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
twice. He communicated with the famous painters, such as Picasso and Matisse. He did made great contributions to the development and spread of Chinese painting.
In 1994, he passed away in Shanghai.
Liu Haisu and His Family
Liu Haisu had four wives in his whole life . His first marriage was arranged by his parents. He showed great diaagreement with the arranged marriage and left home for ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. In Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, he encounted his second wife—Zhang Yunshi(张韵士),a 17-year-old girl. Soon,they had their first son—Liu Hu(刘虎）.They went to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
under the help of Cai Yuanpei
Cai Yuanpei
Cai Yuanpei was a Chinese educator and the president of Peking University. He was known for his critical evaluation of the Chinese culture that led to the influential May Fourth Movement...
(蔡元培). In 1931, they came back and later Zhang founded that her husband fell in love with another girl—Cheng Jiahe(成家和)，the student council of Academic Art School of Shanghai. Zhang offered separation. In 1933, Liu and Cheng got married. They got their daught when Liu was 40. After the outbreak of the war, Liu went to Spratily island and focused on supporting the armies and saving nations. During this period, Cheng put forward a divorce. He agreeed painfully. In 1944, he married with his fourth wife—Xia Yiqiao(夏伊乔)，a student of his. Xia took well care of Liu and his children. She also gave a hand to his former wives, Zhang and Cheng.
Liu Haisu and Taiwan
Upon the victory of Sino-Japanese WarSecond Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
in 1945, Chinese government recaptured Taiwan, which had been occupied by Japan for 50 years. Liu was invited to visit Taiwan in the next year and communicate with artists in Taiwan. He was invited to visit the island again in 1989. He insisted on making this trip, despite his age of over 90. Thus, he was among the few painters from mainland China who visited Taiwan right after the World War II, and again after many years of separation. When talking about the impression of Taiwan, he mentioned that when he was there for first time, Taiwan was a pure rural land. When he visited the island again, it had become a prosperous place and completely incomparable.