The Versatile Master:
Research Exhibition of Ren Bonian Paintings in CAFAM Collection
Time: 2021/09/18-10/17
Location: CAFAM 3rd Floor
Organizer: CAFAM
Supporting Organization: CAFA School of Humanities
Ren Yi (1840-1896), also known as Ren Run, Ren Bonian and Ren Heshang, was from Shanyin, Zhejiang (today's Shaoxing). He was one of the renowned representative painters of the Shanghai school (haipai). He was an unprecedentedly versatile artist who mastered all kinds of skills, and was good at different genres of paintings from figure to flower-and-bird and landscape. He also blended sketching and watercolor skills in traditional Chinese painting skills.
Under the influence from his father, Ren Bonian had already established a good eye for details, and outstanding sketching skills in his childhood, but he didn't become a professional artist until learning from Ren Xiong and Ren Xun. His early painting style was influenced by the heritage of Chen Hongshou, and even the double hook method of the Song dynasty painters. Later he absorbed Bada Shanren's skill of "centered tip of a brush held from a suspended wrist" and Hua Yan's originative philosophical thinking, and gradually formed his own artistic style.
Ren Bonian has inspired many painters after his time. His oeuvre was a milestone for the revolution of Chinese painting, and also deeply influenced Chinese painting in the 20th century. Mr. Xue Yongnian once commented Ren's work: Learning form the tradition while absorbing the west. Ren could acutely observe the new artistic concepts, and search for originative art language. This is also how China is seeing traditional Chinese culture now: it encourages the dialectical review of tradition and active development of new art styles, "using the ancients' rules to make our own world".
How to look at Ren Bonian's time-transcending accomplishment in a new light, how to inspire CAFA people and the public to learn from Ren's work, is one of the original purposes of the exhibtion. It will view Ren Bonian's art against a historical background, showcasing Ren's works in three chapters under the theme "The Versatile Master", and reviewing his accomplishments at the crossroad between ancient and modern, East and West. We intend to portray a landscape of Chinese pianting across 500 years time from Ming and Qing dynasties to modern time through Ren Bonian's art, highlighting his outstanding artistic achievement while sorting out a list of masters he had drawn inspirations from. We would also like to ravel out the logics behind CAFA's collection of historical Chinese paintings, and the relationship between the collection and teaching of Chinese painting. While re-interpriting how Ren Bonian's works mixed traditional and modern elements, the exhibition will also hopefully trigger the audience to think about how an individual artist pushed the revolution of art history. The exhibition displays 45 sets of Ren Bonian's work, and 44 sets of artworks from 23 other artists.
1. Learning from tradition
Chen Chun, White Lotus (scroll), Ming dynasty, ink and paper, 50x7x27.3cm
Zhu Da (Bada Shanren), Pine, Crane, Iris and Stone (scroll), Qing dynasty, ink and color on silk, 188x102cm
Hua Yan, Birds Gathering under Willow and Peach Blossoms (scroll), Qing dynasty, ink and color on paper, 172.5x93cm
Ren Xiong, Offering Longevity, 1850, ink and color on silk, 172x280cm
Ren Xun, Holding Candles, 1870, ink and color on paper, 204x121cm
2. Outstanding artist of his time
Ren Bonian, Portrait of Yicheng, 1877, ink and color on paper, 102x45cm
Ren Bonian, Mi Fu Worshipping a Rock, 1893, ink and color on silk, 21cm in diameter
Ren Bonian, Painting of Kui Xing, 1876, ink and color on paper, 134x61.5cm
Ren Bonian, Fan VII, 1868, ink and color on paper, 29x58cm
Ren Bonian, Phoenix Dwells the Old Green Parasol Tree Branch, 1889, ink and color on paper, 227x114cm
3. Century-old legacy
Wu Changshuo, Banana Leaves, Pine and Plum Blossom, 1916, ink on paper, 134.5x27cmx4
Chen Banding, Painting of Wisteria, 1958, ink and color on paper, 107x55cm
Xu Beihong, Zhong Kui, 1939, ink and color on paper, 112x55cm