Qi Baishi said in Qin Mu's "Shibei from the Art Sea·Cool Shapes": "The beauty of painting lies in the balance between similarity and dissimilarity. Too much likeness is kitsch, but not likeness is deceiving the world."
“It’s best to paint between likeness and dissimilarity. Too much likeness is kitsch, not too much likeness is deceiving the world.” This is Qi Baishi’s famous saying, and it is also Qi Baishi’s most incisive positioning of the aesthetics of Chinese painting. With the keen vision and philosophical thinking of an outstanding artist, he integrated the two originally opposing philosophical concepts of "likeness" and "unlikeness" and gave a perfect explanation of what is the highest aesthetic realm of Chinese painting.
Qi Baishi studied painting with local cultural figures Hu Qinyuan and Chen Shaofan (also known as Chen Zuoxun) in his early years. Later, he studied under the four masters of Xu Wei, Zhu Da, Shi Tao and Wu Changshuo, and formed a unique freehand style. The Moye School is particularly good at melons, fruits, vegetables, flowers, birds, insects, fish, as well as figures, landscapes, and combines its simple folk art style with the traditional literati painting style.
It not only expanded the expression themes of literati paintings, but also eliminated the old habit of "ungrounded" literati paintings, creating a new chapter of freehand flower-and-bird paintings with the spirit of the times and the flavor of life.
Painting is a visual art. It can only rely on images to convey information. This is something Western painters have done extremely well. Chinese painters have taken a new approach, using unique Chinese calligraphy to creatively integrate sound poetry into silent paintings, opening up space for imagination in static pictures and infinitely expanding the original limited theme. On the basis of "image" and "pen and ink" On the subject, a new realm of "intention" is derived, effectively pushing the theory of "similarity and dissimilarity" to a new height.
"The sound of a frog ten miles out of a mountain spring" is an excellent example of the mutual contrast between "form" and "meaning". This painting is an ink freehand painting made by the 91-year-old Qi Baishi in 1951 in response to the famous writer Lao She's proposition that "the sound of frogs comes from the mountain spring ten miles away". The old man only drew six smart ink dots with tails on the paper to outline the The lively form of tadpoles swimming in a mountain stream.
Although there is no frog drawn, the specific information of "frog sound", which is audible but not invisible, is successfully conveyed from the "backside" of the paper to the mind of everyone who reads the painting. With the qualities of a poet, the sensitivity of a painter, and the elegance of a literati, he unexpectedly created a special artistic conception of "before seeing its form, but hearing its sound", making a "work that suited the occasion" a masterpiece that will forever be remembered in history.
Extended information
Qi Baishi advocated that the beauty of art lies between similarity and dissimilarity. He reformed in his declining years and formed a unique style of freehand Chinese painting, with red flowers and ink leaves, especially The paintings of fruits, vegetables, flowers, birds, insects, and fish are the most important ones, as well as figures, landscapes, and they are famous for a while. Together with Wu Changshuo, they enjoy the reputation of "Southern Wu and Northern Qi"; they combine Qi Baishi's simple folk art style with the traditional literati painting style. , reaching the highest peak of modern Chinese flower-and-bird painting.
I learned seal cutting from Ding Jing and Huang Xiaosong at the beginning, and later imitated Uncle Zhao, and took the Fahan seal; see the "Stele of Sacrifice to Sangong Mountain" and the "Stele of Tianfa God's Prophecy". Qi Xusi is a representative figure in the period of evolution of seal style in modern times. His calligraphy is widely used in steles and inscriptions, and his sects include He Shaoji, Li Beihai, Jin Dongxin, and Zheng Banqiao. He is especially good at seal script and running script.
Poetry does not seek craftsmanship, and has no intention of the Tang and Song Dynasties. It follows the natural method, and the writing is spiritual and unique. His paintings and calligraphy were praised by poets as the Four Wonders. He was diligent throughout his life, worked hard, worked hard, and had noble conduct, especially national integrity. He left behind more than 30,000 paintings, more than 3,000 poems, autobiography, Qi Baishi's manuscripts and many volumes of handwriting. Qi Baishi's works have been printed repeatedly in various forms.
Characteristics
Qi Baishi was greatly influenced by Chen Shizeng in painting art. Qi Baishi also absorbed the strengths of Wu Changshuo. Qi Baishi specializes in flowers and birds, his pen is full of energy and his ink is full of energy and sharpness. But the painting bug is meticulous and extremely precise. Qi Baishi also praised Xu Wei, Zhu Da, Shi Tao and Jin Nong. Yougong's paintings of shrimps, crabs, cicadas, butterflies, fish, birds, and ink are dripping with color, filled with the vitality of nature.
The landscape composition is unique and remains original, he is full of creative spirit, his seal cutting skills are unique, and his calligraphy is outstanding, making him famous among everyone. Qi Baishi's paintings are against unrealistic fantasy. Qi Baishi often pays attention to the characteristics of flowers, birds, insects and fish, and tries to figure out their spirits. Qi Baishi once said: To portray all the insects, to show off to the birds, you must draw your own face.
Qi Baishi's inscription is very humorous and clever. Qi Baishi painted two chickens fighting for a small insect, and the inscription said: "Qi Baishi calls each other in the sun." A "Cotton Picture" is titled: "When flowers bloom, the world is warm; when flowers fall, the world is cold."
"The Picture of a Tumbler" is titled "The autumn fan is shaking, both sides are white, and the official robes are all black."
Baidu Encyclopedia - Qi Baishi