Landscape, Hu Peiheng

Exhibition Label:
"Using the Past to Serve the Present in 20th Century Chinese Painting," Oct-2006, Ai-lian Liu, Asian Art Intern
Hu Peiheng did this painting as a birthday gift for a friend. A mountain landscape was the perfect subject for the occasion; the constancy of nature suggested unchanging good wishes and the majesty of the mountains-compliments to the
recipient. The exchange of artworks was a common social practice among the literati, displaying their mutual appreciation of a cultivated taste.

The brushwork of the landscape recalls the style of the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) artists Wu Zhen (1280-1354) and Wang Meng (circa 1309-85). Brushwork is often the foremost element in literati painting and is as individualized as an artist’s signature. By studying and utilizing the brushwork of ancient masters, the artist gained an understanding of the past and paid homage to the long-standing tradition.

Archive Label 2003:
Born in Hebei, Hu spent most of his life in Beijing. He was especially fond of the Yuan painting masters Wu Zhen and Wang Meng, and eagerly studied their works. Hu traveled extensively in China, and after the liberation developed a style that combined traditional brush methods with his direct experiences in nature. One of the percepts of literati painting was to transmit the rhythms of nature into brush and ink. It was more important that an artist capture the spirit. It was more important that an artist capture the spirit rather than the specific appearance of a landscape scene. Hu's system of furry texture strokes depicting the mountains and rocks sets up gentle vibrations which do indeed express the vitality of nature.