The life of the characters in Guan's works

Guan, a native of Nanhai, Guangdong, was born in a wealthy family in Shanghai from 65438 to 0903. Parents engaged in the textile industry not only manage, but also personally design patterns for cotton fabrics. Born in such an environment, Guan showed unusual interest in art, and his parents were secretly happy when they saw it. While receiving a good education, they consciously cultivate art. When Guan was a teenager, he was admitted to Shanghai Shenzhou Girls' School, majoring in painting, and then transferred to China University of the Arts to study painting.

From 65438 to 0927, Guan graduated with honors from China University of Arts. In June, the school held an art exhibition, with more than 200 works by teachers and students, with different styles and dazzling array. At that time, Liang Deshuo, editor-in-chief of the famous Companion Pictorial, and writer Gao Changhong were invited to visit. Guan exhibited a work called "Leisure", with her photo and caption: "Ms. Guan (present-day high flyers)". In the photo, she gracefully holds her chin in her left hand and quietly looks at the outside world, full of longing for the future. In this way, her oil painting "Wandering Immortals" was selected and published with her photos in the No.1 17 pictorial of Good Friends.

The graduation from college is not enough. She still wants to study in France. But the teacher Chen Baoyi told her that you don't have to go to France to learn western painting, and he has acquaintances in Japan. So under the introduction and recommendation, I soon came to the Tokyo Institute of Culture from Shanghai.

Sure enough, the superior learning conditions and academic environment of Japanese schools are much stronger than those of universities in Shanghai. There are not only detailed artistic historical materials, beautifully printed foreign paintings, but also many original European oil paintings. At the same time, Guan can often see the original paintings of western masters and truly appreciate the mystery of western oil paintings. Here, on the one hand, she learns Japanese, on the other hand, she has extensive contact with other professionals, which makes her very happy.

Guan is very popular. While studying in Japan, she met two Japanese avant-garde painters. They are oil painters, born in Shimane and Nakagawa era. Both of them are gifted scholars studying in France. They are familiar with all kinds of oil painting techniques, especially the art of French Fauvism. With freehand brushwork and bold and pungent colors, their simple and passionate modeling "changed" and impacted the Japanese painting world at that time. Guan got the essence of the free and unfettered fauvism. Her pen is unrestrained and extremely sensitive to color, which makes her paintings more and more powerful and magnificent, making her look like everyone else.

1In August, 927, with the great assistance of China legation, Japan East Asia Art Association, Kobe Friendship Daily, Shanghai Times Japan Branch, Evening Newspaper and Overseas Chinese Newspaper, Guan solo exhibition was successfully held in Kobe. Nearly 50 works, in addition to oil paintings, include charcoal drawings, watercolors and pencil drawings. There are thousands of visitors to this exhibition, but they are still overwhelmed from 8 am to 9 pm every day, so they have to hold a party. The exhibition was also praised by professionals from China and Japan. The Japanese Ministry of Interior thinks Guan's brushwork is magnificent and second to none. The female painter thinks Guan's works are bright in color and ingenious in composition, and praises Guan's artistic genius and China people's brains for their artistic quality.

On August 29th, 1927, in the 4th edition of Shenbao, a reporter signed by Xue Fen wrote an article "Impression of a solo exhibition", saying: "It can be seen that the Japanese love and respect for art has transformed the vulgar society into a new civilized and artistic country in decades, which we must admit. Looking back on how our country should strive to show our "good national character" incisively and vividly. I have great respect for Ms. Guan's exhibition. "

During his stay in Japan, Guan also participated in the Japanese "Two Themes" Art Exhibition, Ueno Art Exhibition and Hyogo Art Exhibition. The famous Japanese art monthly "Woman-Lady Modeling" introduced Guan and her paintings in detail, and gave the female painter from China a high academic evaluation.

1930 The oil painting "Narcissus" was printed and distributed by the Japanese government as a postcard all over Japan, with an expressionist style. This is really hard for a pioneer who has only been involved in Japanese painting for two or three years.

Guan is very popular in Japan and has been reported in domestic publications from time to time. 192710/2 issue of Beiyang Pictorial published a large photo of Guan: she was sitting on a tatami, with her right hand on a small table, on which some books were scattered, wearing a student costume, a white coat, a black skirt and a necklace around her neck. There is a line under the photo: "Ms. Guan, a female painter, took photos in Japan (Ms. Guan's works were appreciated by the Japanese people and publicly exhibited)." Similarly, a profile photo of Guan was published in the 30th issue of Liangyou Pictorial 1928 published on September 30th. The following caption reads: "Ms. Guangdong, who graduated from China University of the Arts, is good at western painting, and has opened a solo exhibition in Japan, which has been greatly praised by the art world. "

1930, returned to China and taught at Shanghai Western Academy of Fine Arts. While teaching, she did not forget her own creation, and transplanted the fauvism style she studied in China into the soil of Japanese culture. Guan has the ability to simplify the complex and simplify the complex. She can combine the elegance and implication of the East with the passion of the Western Fauvism, and has the color and modeling of China folk art. He is good at using decorative patterns to give his works a sense of rhythm.

In this regard, domestic publications are scrambling to report and publish her works, all paying attention to her works and talents, without any hype, and without lace and gossip. "Good friends" have a special liking. They were introduced to her in August and June of 5438+ 10 respectively. There are not only works, but also her own photos, and a long article by Zhao Ning: "Of course, Narcissus is a beautiful and unique still life, which is her early masterpiece. But comparing the recent works "The Portrait of Lady L" and "The Violin", we can see that the recent works are more calm in expression, more colorful and more pure in content, which fully proves how hard the ladies have made progress in recent years. Because of these works, it is not difficult for anyone to imagine that her artistic future is infinite. "

In the summer of the same year, Guan held a solo exhibition in Hua 'an Mansion, and a series of outstanding works such as The Girl Playing the Mandolin, The Lake, The Girl in Green, Autumn Water, Ma Hua, Vines and Violin came out one after another. The visitors were very crowded, and many literary and art celebrities attended the meeting. Mr Song Ziwen attended the opening ceremony of the oil painting exhibition and praised it. This is her first exhibition since she returned to China. As a pioneer in the artistic trend, the novel painting features in her works are tantamount to a new wind blowing into the painting world. Free and unrestrained pen, elegant and bright colors, completely different from the "realistic" style. Mr. Jinye, a critic at that time, clearly foresaw the long-term significance of painting. He wrote in Time magazine: "Ms. Guan's paintings are rich in color, do not distinguish the outline, and express the image completely by intuition." Therefore, Ms. Guan's painting style has only one very simple form, that is, beautiful and elegant, generous and fresh. Her pen is very strange, it is a modern romantic school, and the real content is far from what we are asking now, but she is a lighthouse in the distance. "

10 years later, Guan held another art exhibition. People are surprised to find that her painting style has changed a little. Guan gave up deformation and exaggeration and turned to realism. However, this realism is definitely not vulgar, but expressive, simple and practical. 193 1 years ago, the vigorous strength and majestic momentum seemed to disappear, and it really turned into a beautiful picture of a new woman. Guan's heart contains infinite power, so the picture is brighter, more charming and sweeter than 193 1 years ago, and everything inside is more sincere, more cordial, more solid and more profound.

At that time, the modern French female painter Luo Lanxiang also held an exhibition in Shanghai, and some people compared her with Guan. In the 26th issue of Yong 'an Monthly 194 1 published in June, Wen Zhaotong said in "The Female Painter Pass": "The China female painter who has been dormant for 10 years will give new stimulation to the viewers of the isolated island painting circle this year." However, we have to understand that although Guan is a modern female oil painter in China, her works do not only show the beauty of women, but also reveal the delicacy of women, like Luo Lanxiang's works. She does have a gem-like crystal color, a velvet-like warm picture and a lively brush stroke like a bird. But the unique strength and grandeur of men have existed in her pictures for a long time, as long as you look at Still Life and West Lake produced by 1927 and 1928 for two consecutive years. "

194 1 The art exhibition held in Guanguan, most of the works are about the great rivers and mountains of the motherland, aiming at arousing people's deep love for the beautiful homeland and yearning for the arrival of peace. When she appears in public, she always wears Hanfu. She said, "The more I want to show the dignity and elegance of a China woman at this time, I am not afraid, because I am from China." It shows China people's unique courage, strength and patriotic enthusiasm.

The special background of the times has created an artist's bumpy and bumpy artistic life. Daughter Liang recalled that because of her experience in Japan, during her stay in War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the Japanese mobilized her to work for the Japanese several times, but she refused. This artist, who graduated from China University of Arts, was deeply influenced by the Left League and full of patriotic feelings. He resisted the invaders' trampling on the dignity of the motherland in his own way: as a painter, he no longer participated in any exhibitions related to political activities, nor did he rely on the government or the media to set up any kind of exhibitions. As a social butterfly, she lives in seclusion and refuses to participate in any social activities related to the Japanese. "Life is worse than death", she will never change the trend. She even expressed her protest against the Japanese invaders by "shielding" her own art, which won everyone's praise and respect.

Guan inherited the Chinese nation's fine moral character of "being a teacher for one day and being a father for life". Guan's teachers are serious and responsible for teaching and take good care of their students. 19321On February 28th, when the Sino-Japanese War broke out in Songhu, the Ye Hong family fled to the old tianmashan area in Sheshan. He was poor and ill, and died of illness. He lived only in his forties, leaving behind his widow and young children. However, Guan never forgot his first teacher's education and training, and always cared about his descendants. Later, he generously sponsored Ye Hong's son to go to college.

Similarly, when Guan became a famous painter, she did not forget the training and support of her teachers. They still often paint together, learn from each other and discuss artistic issues together. In the years before his death, Guan had been quietly subsidizing his mentor, because he didn't want to take refuge in the Japanese, so he was in financial trouble. Until his death, Mr Chen Baoyi never revealed a word to outsiders. 1949 and 10 months later, Guan lived in the apartment of Liyang Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai, which was separated from Xincun Road where Lu Xun lived. She spent the rest of her life here.

The birth of New China and the upsurge of construction in the early days of the People's Republic of China really infected Guan, and she began to try to draw some new themes reflecting the changes of the times. 65438-0963, employed as a librarian of Shanghai Literature and History Research Institute, and also a member of Shanghai Artists Association and China Artists Association. Organized by the Artists Association, she took an active part in collecting folk songs and various creative activities. Guan came to Nanhu Lake in Jiaxing, where the Communist Party of China (CPC) was founded. Although she is old, she is full of energy. She improvised a few pencil sketches and also sketched oil paintings on the spot. After returning to Shanghai, she finished the creation of the famous oil painting "South Lake Red Boat".

1964, Guan came to Fan Guanlong, a new village for workers under construction. She knew that Zhabei shanty towns were formed here because of the "December 28th" and "August 13th" wars. After the 1960s, the government began to demolish and transform it into a new village for workers, which is undoubtedly a microcosm of the historical development of new Shanghai. Excited, Guan created the oil painting Cucumber Lane, and participated in the oil painting exhibition held by the Artists Association that year, which attracted the attention of the industry.

Out of natural sensitivity to a better life, Guan left a batch of works with realistic charm, clear pictures and real life in the city during this period. For example, in Street View of Shanghai and Jing 'an Temple, the iconic buildings in the paintings are full of shadows, green trees along the Huangpu River of Suzhou River, simple and unwilling citizens' clothes, the unhurried pace of people's life, and neat but not prosperous roads. Guan recorded the unique customs of Shanghai at that time with her skillful brushwork.

Although there were few works in his later years, the brilliance of his artistic works in different historical periods did not disappear with the passage of time. During the period of 1963, Jiang Feng, then chairman of China Artists Association, initiated the work of collecting works of modern painters for China Art Museum. Recommended by the Shanghai Artists Association in the primary election, an expert group composed of Jiang Feng and others selected and confirmed Guan's oil paintings "Girl", "West Lake Scenery" and "Cigu Flower", which were collected by China Art Museum. China Art Museum's evaluation of this girl is: "The painting reveals the elegant and generous temperament of oriental women, and the painter has the ability to simplify and purify complex shapes. Her brushwork is rough, simple and refined, with bright colors and more primary colors. It can be seen that she was influenced by French post-impressionism and Fauvism when she was studying in Japan, with the color and modeling of China folk art. The Girl is one of the representative works of the painter, and the picture is full of warm and cordial atmosphere. The painter's paintings are mainly portraits of people, as well as still life and scenery. He is good at using decorative patterns to increase the rhythm of his works. "

Guan is peaceful, but he has a simple and firm principle of being a man. She seems to know that the "Cultural Revolution" is coming. Before that, she seldom painted anything. According to Liang, before and after the Cultural Revolution, she was often asked to investigate the social background materials of other painters, which made her very afraid of painting, a career she once loved. One thing is certain, she consciously hid herself, and she stopped writing. She doesn't want to draw something that caters to her heart like some people, and she doesn't want to attract others' attention. She asks other painters to testify. She wants to be forgotten. She doesn't care about loneliness and silence.

However, she really guessed right, and the turbulent wave of the "Cultural Revolution" swept across the country. In order to prevent the painting from happening, the family scattered the old works in an inconspicuous place at home, and even reluctantly took the canvas out of the frame and wrapped it. Ye Zhi told me that fortunately, the wall of their house is a slatted wall, and the inner layer is empty. So, they sealed many paintings and put them in the partition wall, and then plastered them with lime. Fortunately, it was not destroyed by the popular "property grabbing", otherwise the painting on the inner wall might not have been robbed.

But despite this, the right life is still full of confidence. This may have become her habit. She often walks to Deda Western Restaurant and Donghai Western Restaurant on Nanjing East Road for coffee. Sometimes, when she is in high spirits, she will go to the Shanghai Cafe on Tongren Road for a cup of strong coffee. A carefree attitude towards life is also the best way to be forced in the era of fierce class struggle.

Guan's life can be described as both lofty and implicit. In his later years, he went to Simei Barber Shop on the corner of changchun road every month to decorate himself. He often doesn't forget to sprinkle some advanced imported perfume on his body, and maintains an elegant, beautiful and positive attitude towards life. In particular, she can't tolerate those "Acura" works, thinking that they are just a pile of rubbish. From 65438 to 0958, the death of her husband who closed the dental clinic gave her a more thorough view of life and painting, and also made her more firmly adhere to the purity of art. It is not a fashion all the time, and maintains its own independent personality.

After the Cultural Revolution, she rekindled her hopes for the development of China's fine arts, but after all, she was too old to do it, so she was full of expectations for young people. 1978, her favorite grandson, Ye Ziqi, joined the army. Ye Qi said that I can enter the army through "political examination", which is a kind of trust and encouragement for my grandmother. In the spring of the following year, despite his 76-year-old age, he came to the headquarters of a certain unit of the field army to visit his grandson, took time to guide soldiers with artistic hobbies to paint and coach the blackboard newspaper.

Guan Yisheng lived in Shanghai for a long time except that he was defeated by Japan twice. In addition, the most predestined relationship, the most visited and favorite place is the West Lake in Hangzhou. This is not only related to her works, but more importantly, she thinks that the West Lake is so beautiful that "heavy makeup is always appropriate", which is really extraordinary. 1927, Guan created the masterpiece Leisure with the West Lake as the background and the author himself as the protagonist. In Autumn Water written by 1930, the author completely integrated himself into the West Lake and sublimated himself into an idealized realm. Guan 1929 The oil painting "Scenery of West Lake" collected by China Art Museum is a work with the theme of West Lake. Through overlooking and framing, the beautiful scenery of the West Lake is put into the painting. Her West Lake series includes Lakeside, Santan Yin Yue and so on. Liang told me that her mother often talked about Hangzhou. When she visited Hangzhou on 1934, she went to the local photo studio to take photos. Guan can ride a horse and drive a car. She used to drive across the West Lake with great interest.

198 1 year, Guan, who was nearly eighty years old, revisited the West Lake for the last time and approached her ideal paradise again. She told her family that when people die, there is nothing left. It's not good to hold a memorial service. It costs money to ask for leave and send flowers rings and baskets. Therefore, her last wish for her family is: no memorial service, no wreath, no funeral music, no black veil and no farewell ceremony after her death. Before her death, she took care of her family humorously: "After my death, my ashes will be scattered in the West Lake, so that you can go to Hangzhou once a year."

1On June 30th, 985, he died of a heart attack in his apartment.