LI KERAN 李可染 (Xuzhou, China, 1907 - 1989)

Mountain landscape

20th Century

Study of a village below a towering mountain range

Ink on paper, mounted as a hanging scroll

Artist's colophon and red seal

85.5cm high, 47.5cm wide

李可染 山水

二十世紀

水墨紙本 立軸

款識：可染於師牛堂

鈐印：「李」

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PROVENANCE:

Property of a Gentleman, UK Private Collection

來源：

士紳珍藏，英國私人收藏

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Born in 1907 to illiterate parents, Li Keran eventually became one of China's most-celebrated artists. In 1925 he graduated from Shanghai Art Academy and went on to conduct post-graduate studies in Western art at the National Art Academy in Hangzhou, the latter providing teachers such as the French modernist Andrè Claudot (1892-1982), under whom he studied drawing and oil painting. During the Second Sino-Japanese War he worked for the Nationalist government, producing propaganda art for the war effort against the Japanese. In 1946 he was invited by Xu Beihong (1895-1953) to teach brush and ink painting at the Beiping National Art School, and it was here that he met the masters Qi Baishi (1864-1957) and Huang Binhong (1865-1955), who mentored him during this time. Despite his training in oil painting, Li Keran pursued the medium of brush and ink painting, developing his landscapes and figure paintings in the literati style.

Li Keran suffered during the Cultural Revolution, and was denounced for his 'black landscape' paintings, which today are his most well-regarded works. He returned to the artistic fold in the 1970s, and continued to paint these iconic works until his death in 1989. Noted art historian Lang Shaojun of the Chinese Art Research Institute described Li Keran's art as 'a milestone in new landscape painting', making reference to the artist's union of realist art and traditional brush and ink techniques. Lang further stated that it was impossible for Li Keran to have escaped the conjunction of art and politics of that time. Shui Tianzhong, also of the Chinese Art Research Institute, called Li an innovator and a brave artist, for whom black was never black enough.

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