Xu Beihong Chinese 1895-1953 WC on Paper Scroll for Auction at 888 Auctions on Jan 31, 2019

Xu Beihong Chinese 1895-1953 WC on Paper Scroll – January 31, 2019

Boy riding on buffalo; ink and watercolour on paper; hanging scroll; signed Xu Beihong (Chinese, 1895-1953), Chinese painter; inscribed with 1 artist seal; accompanied with a certificate issued by Beijing Wenboyuan Cultural Relics Appraisal Center, 101 x 51 cm (39.8 x 20.1 in).

Click Here to view Lot #119 – Xu Beihong Chinese 1895-1953 WC on Paper Scroll – January 31, 2019

Xu Beihong

Xu Beihong (Chinese, 1895-1953) was an ink-and-wash artist best known for his images of horses.  Importantly, Xu was one of the first Chinese artists to advocate for more modern forms of artistic expression.  During the beginning of the 20th century, he was one of the first to incorporate Western techniques into Chinese art.

Xu first learned art from his father, the locally known portrait painter Xu Dazhang. He initially worked as a traveling professional painter and art teacher.  Afterwards, moving to Shanghai in 1915, he studied Western art. He also met Kang Youwei, whose arguments about the need to modernize Chinese art deeply influenced the artist early in his career.

Following a brief trip to Tokyo in 1917, he began teaching at Peking University’s School of Art at the invitation of Cai Yuanpei. Furthermore, Xu traveled to Paris in 1919 to study oil painting and drawing at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Beginning in the late 1920s, he held a number of different positions at various Chinese institutions, including the National Central University (now Nanjing University). During the 1930s, Xu organized an exhibition of modern Chinese painting that traveled to France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and the former Soviet Union.

Due to the outbreak of World War II, Xu went to Southeast Asia, holding exhibitions in Singapore and India, and helped raise money for the war effort. He became the president of Beiping Art College in 1946 and consequently, found the People’s Republic of China in 1949.  Furthermore, he was appointed the president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and chairman of the Chinese Artists’ Association.

Xu distinguished himself for his use of Chinese brush-and-ink techniques and Western methods of composition. He combined strong, bold brushstrokes with precisely defined forms. As an educator, he advocated the importance of concept and real-life experience over technique. Prematurely, Xu died of a stroke at a relatively early age of 58. After his death, the Xu Beihong Museum was founded at his home in Beijing.

Auction Overview

Richmond Hill, ON – 393 fresh to market items will be available to the discerning buyers and collectors in 888 Auctions’ January 17th auction featuring the finest in MODERN PAINTINGS, JEWELRY & ASIAN ANTIQUES 2019-01-31. Taking place in the afternoon at 2 PM (EST), bidders will be competing against one another over a variety of items on display.