Background
Xu Beihong was born on July 19, 1895 in Yixing, Jiangsu, China. His father was Xu Dazhang.
Former residence of Xu Beihong in Nanjing.
Xu Beihong and Jiang Biwei.
徐悲鸿
Xu Beihong was born on July 19, 1895 in Yixing, Jiangsu, China. His father was Xu Dazhang.
Xu began studying classic Chinese works and calligraphy with his father Xu Dazhang at the age of six, and Chinese painting at the age of nine.
He travelled to Tokyo in 1917 to study arts. Beginning in 1919, Xu studied overseas in Paris at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, where he studied oil painting and drawing.
Xu Beihong taught at Peking University's Arts school, China, from 1918 to 1919. Besides, he held his first exhibition of oil paintings in 1924, which created a sensation in Paris.
From 1927 to 1929 he gained a number of posts at institutions in China, including teaching at National Central University (now Nanjing University) in the former capital city Nanjing.
In 1933, Xu organized an exhibition of modern Chinese painting that traveled to France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and the Soviet Union. During World War II, Xu traveled to Southeast Asia, holding exhibitions in Singapore and India.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Xu became president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and chairman of the China Artists Association. Xu Beihong was a master of both oils and Chinese ink. Most of his works, however, were in the Chinese traditional style. In his efforts to create a new form of national art, he combined Chinese brush and ink techniques with Western perspective and methods of composition. He integrated firm and bold brush strokes with the precise delineation of form.
Between 1939 and 1941, he held solo exhibitions in Singapore, India and Malaysia.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Xu became president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and chairman of the China Artists Association. Besides, he was a representative in the first Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Xu died of a stroke on September 26, 1953 in Beijing, China.
Xu Beihong was primarily known for his Chinese ink paintings of horses and birds and was one of the first Chinese artists to articulate the need for artistic expressions that reflected a modern China at the beginning of the 20th century. He was also regarded as one of the first to create monumental oil paintings with epic Chinese themes - a show of his high proficiency in an essential Western art technique.
Moreover, he was one of the four pioneers of Chinese modern art who earned the title of "The Four Great Academy Presidents".
Cultivation On The Peaceful Land
Tianmu Mountians
Tianheng's five hundreds heroes
Magpies on a Tree Branch
Deer
Study for The Foolish Old Man
A Portrait of Madame Cheng.
Zhen Sanli
A Portrait of an Indian Lady.
Magpies
Bamboo
Landscape of Mt. Lushan
Two Birds
A Horse
Roosters and Chicks
Bodhisattva
Magpie
Bamboo
Zhen Sanli
A Portrait of Lim Loh
Ink Bamboo
Mynah Birds
Buffalo and the Herd Boy
Pig
Bamboo and Rooster
A Standing Horse
Cicadas and Bamboo
Hawk
Cormorant
A Portrait of a Young Lady.
The Arrival of Lao Zi.
Hawk
Cats on Rock
Two Horses
Portrait of Rabindranath Tagore
Cat
Eagle
A Sketch of Gertrude at Five
An Eagle
Grand Pine Tree
Horse
Magpie and Plum
Crouching Lion
Cattleya
Spring Call
Li Yinquan
Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi
Rooster
Horse
The Fool who Moved the Mountains
Buffaloes
A Magpie on a Maple Branch.
Cat
Three Ducks
Horse-master Jiu Fang Gao
Comorants
Lion
Ancient pine and juniper on the west hills
A Lady in a Tang Poem.
Himalayan landscape
Eagle
The Scholar Zhong Kui.
A Lady Amongst the Bamboo
Seated male figure
Galloping Stallion
Bamboo and Plum Blossoms
Awaiting the deliverer
The Sound of the Flute
Loquats
Galloping Horse
A Portrait of Miss Jenny.
Galloping Horse
Running Horse
Eagle
Running Horse
Cat
Magpie on a Red-Leave Branch
Riding on a Donkey
A Horse
Rooster and Taro Leaves
Standing Horse
Mouse
Study for The Foolish Old Man.
Horse
Cowboy
Zhong Jiu Holding A Cup
A Portrait of Sun Duoci
Himalayan Forest
Horse
Put Down Your Whip
Slave and Lion
Grand Pine Tree
A Beauty in a Tang Poem
Kitten with Butterfly
The Mother of Zhao Wu.
Portrait of Mrs Tchang Ju Chi and Daughter
Two Cats
Quotes from others about the person
Zhu Ming: "Beihong was the leader of bole in ancient and modern painting fields."
Xu Beihong's wife was Jiang Biwei. In 1927 they had a son and a daughter. Three years later, Xu Beihong had a love affair with his student Sun Duoci. The affair ended with Jiang Biwei's intervention, but the damage to their marriage was done. They divorced in 1945.
In 1946 Xu Beihong married Liao Jingwen, a librarian who took care of his life and career until he died in 1953. They had a son and a daughter.
Xu Beihong began studying classic Chinese works and calligraphy with his father Xu Dazhang.
His first wife, Jiang Biwei, has published her own memoir, which detailed her 28-years love-and-hate story with Xu Beihong. According to her memoir, in 1917, Xu Beihong went to Japan to study arts. Jiang Biwei went with him to Japan without the consent of her family. In 1927, Xu Beihong and Jiang Biwei had given birth to a son and a daughter. Three years later, Xu Beihong had a love affairs with one of his female students. The love affairs ended with Jiang Biwei's intervention. But the damage was done and caused cracks in his relationship with Jiang Biwei. However, finally their 20-year painful relationship ended with a divorce in 1945.
