BEIJING, Feb. 28 -- The people of Shandong province
are often seen as rough and candid. But one wouldn't guess this from the
flower-and-bird paintings by Shandong artists, now on display at the National
Art Museum of China.
While the 110 works by some 40 accomplished painters
are all elegant pieces, the huge exhibits reflect the subtle differences between
the various regions that the artists come from.
Born
in 1956, Tang Qiuling graduated from the fine arts department of Shandong Normal
University in 1983. Her work, Fragrance of Tea, stands out for its harmonious
color scheme, fine brushstrokes and elaborate composition.
The whole work is cloaked in azure tones, making
everything seem transparent. A bunch of jasmine flowers bloom quietly in a vase,
with tiny petals falling to the table. Three glass cups, filled with tea, sit
casually around the vase. The fragrance of the flowers, and from the tea, seems
to mingle, creating a mild, soft ambience. The curtain in the background
reinforces this feel, with its designs of flowers and leaves. All these images
are further reflected from the glass top table.
Flower-and-bird paintings became popular in the Tang
Dynasty (AD 618-907) with Bian Luan as one of the representative artists. This
art genre witnessed a boom in the later Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (AD
907-960) period, following the inspirational works of the father-and-sons team
of Huang Quan, Huang Jubao and Huang Jucai. The techniques in these paintings
are classified into fine brushwork and free-hand style.
Contemporary artists make progress and innovation
through the years, which can be viewed in the latest show.
Han Mo's Peony Flowers has an impressionist look,
with misty brush-lines and splotches of colors creating a symphony of light and
shadow. In the White Tulip, Zheng Xiangnong uses sharp outlines and overlapping
images, giving his work the look of an engraving. Han Wei's Clear Autumn
captures the essence of traditional flower-and-bird paintings, with its contrast
of the dense and the loose, of active and passive elements.
9 am-5 pm, until March 7
National Art Museum of China, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng
district
6401-7076
(Source: China Daily)
