A Tradition Redefined: Modern and Contemporary Chinese Ink Paintings from the Chu-tsing Li Collection, 1950–2000

Tradition Uprooted

First Look
Dwarfed by ancient gnarled trees, a seated figure looks out across clouds and mist to contemplate the mountain in the distance. The artist inscribed the painting on the right to suggest the setting: “The environs of Baoguo Temple at the foot of Mount Emei have this atmosphere.” A sacred mountain in Sichuan province, Mount Emei is a famous Buddhist pilgrimage destination.

Tradition
Zhao Shaoang uses both a traditional Chinese format and traditional media – ink and color on paper. This image is based on sketches he made on a visit to Mount Emei when, like many other artists, he fled China’s east coast during the war with Japan (1937–45) and found safety inland.

Redefined
The low point of view and atmospheric effects reference Western methods of creating perspective in an image. Zhao studied with brothers Gao Qifeng (1889–1933), and Gao Jianfu (1879–1951) who had forged a new style fusing modern Japanese and Western elements with traditional Chinese media and formats.