The Art of Qi Baishi

Born into a poor farming family and coming of age during Chinas century of civil strife, Qi Baishi transformed the elite brush art of Chinas literati scholars into a universal art form appreciated by people of all social backgrounds. His distinctly modern art language breaks through class and cultural barriers through use of expressive carved brushwork, juxtaposition of vibrant colours against deep and rich ink tones, poetic economy in form and composition, and choice of emotionally resonant subject matter. For these reasons, Qi Baishis art is the ideal gateway through which art lovers of any class or culture can learn about the millenia-old tradition of Chinese brush painting.

A selection of Qi Baishis seal carvingthe art of the iron brushlinks his origins as an artisan carver to his life as Chinas most celebrated calligrapher, poet and painter. The scholarly discipline calligraphy then forms the basis for our understanding Qi Baishis distinctive carved brushwork. In painting, landscapes and figures are two subjects that appear early in Qi Baishis career and provide us with an opportunity to appreciate the poetic economy of his brushwork and the universal appeal of his humanist themes. Finally, birds and flowers form the bulk of Qi Baishis oeuvre and a chronological selection allows us to explore the development of his unique brush, ink and colour language over the span of his productive career.

Published in association with Marquand Books and the Mozhai Foundation. See more