MASTER PAINTERS OF LINGNAN SCHOOL

MASTER PAINTERS OF LINGNAN SCHOOL

嶺南畫派大家

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

明清兩代，嶺南畫壇名家輩出，開始逐漸形成自己的特點。及至近代，西洋畫法傳進中國，嶺南畫家首開中西結合之風，“嶺南畫派”獨步天下。而油畫和版畫等畫種，主要也是由嶺南畫家介紹進中國，并由他們使之走向繁榮的。

革命精神是“嶺南畫派”產生和發展的基礎。畫派創始人高劍父、陳樹人均曾追隨孫中山奔走國事。民國初年，懷著通過藝術陶冶“改造國魂”的目標，高劍父與其弟高奇峰在上海開辟了“嶺南畫派”的主要宣傳陣地——《真相畫報》和審美書館，運用畫集與單張為新派繪畫搖旗吶喊。他們在中國畫的基礎上融合東洋、西洋畫法，注重寫生，主張創新與寫實的繪畫理念與實踐受到世人的廣泛關注，與京津派、海派共同成為20世紀主宰中國畫壇的三大派系。

“嶺南畫派”逐漸名聲在外，然而這個名稱卻曾令創始人們感到不滿。據關山月說：“當時高、陳諸先生認為‘嶺南畫派’這個名稱帶有狹窄的地域性，容易使人誤解為只是地區性的畫家團體。更主要的是，它沒能體現出吸收外來營養使傳統藝術發揚光大的革新國畫的理想。”所以，高劍父從來沒使用過“嶺南畫派”這一名稱，而自稱為“折衷派”。所謂“折衷”，即博采眾長，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.