The year of 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. To celebrate it, CAFA holds the "Carving History with Woodcuts: Yanhan Revolutionary Woodcuts Literature Exhibition", to showcase Mr. Yanhan's theory of "Pictures as Evidence of History", reflected in the organic mixture of the social function of the New Woodcut with the hundred-year history of the CPC. Learning history through Yanhan's woodcut artworks with an academic and enthusiastic attitude is our gesture to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC.
About Yanhan
Yanhan (1916-2011) was born Liu Baosen in Lianyungang, Jiangsu. In 1935, he enrolled in the Hangzhou National College of Art. In 1938, he graduated from the Yan’an Luxun Academy of Literature and Art, and joined the Woodcut Work Team of the Luxun Academy of Literature and Art. He later taught at the Fine Art Department in the academy, as well as the Fine Art Department in the North China University, the East China Branch of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, the Beijing Art Academy and the Central Academy of Fine Arts.
He once took the role of deputy leader of the art team to build the Monument to the People’s Heroes, as well as secretary at the China Artists Association, director of the Printmaking Art Committee, and deputy director and honorary director of the Chinese Printmakers Association. Yanhan is a pioneer of China’s New Printmaking. His career showed the suffering and struggle of Chinese people in the 20th century. His early works were an honest portrayal of the life and combats in the Liberation Zone, which makes him a representative of the "Liberation Zone Woodcut".
Hu Yichuan, Luo Gongliu, Yanhan and Hua Shan at the Woodcut Work Team of the Luxun Academy of Literature and Art in 1941
Mr. Yanhan
1Liqun, Li Hua, Gu Yuan, Wang Qi and Yanhan attended the Fourth Congress of the National Writers and Artists (from right to left)
Mr. Yanhan is one of the founders of the Printmaking Department of CAFA. In his long journey of art life, the call of revolution and a strong will for national salvation was his important urge to make woodcut prints. While he created a large number of outstanding artworks for the modern revolutionary art genre, his works also helped form the red spirit which was at the core of the modern Chinese printmaking. "I’m not drawing the sentimental daily romances, but the ups and downs of our time." (不画风花雪月，要画沧海桑田). Under the influence of his relatives and friends who were underground CPC members, Yanhan started out from the Yan’an Academy of Literature and Art, followed the direction of the Party’s art and culture theories, and firmly joined the anti-war printmaking movement. It was also during this time that he created the many artistic classics including General Peng Dehuai, When Enemies are Searching the Mountain, and Bean Voting. If we organize Yanhan’s works in chronological order, we can see clearly that every work was referring to specific historical events: Hundred Regiments Offensive, War of Liberation, the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, etc. We can see from Yanhan’s works how the national salvation career of the CPC went from hardship to victory. In this sense, understanding Yanhan’s works is understanding the Party’s history.
General Pen Dehuai at the Frontline, Yanhan, monochrome woodcut, 1941, 22x16cm
When Enemies are Searching the Mountain, Yanhan, 1943, monochrome woodcut, 22x19cm
Bean Voting, Yanhan, 1948, monochrome woodcut, 37x29cm
Illustration for Lu Xun's novel New Year's Sacrifice, Yanhan, 1973, 28x21cm
