This paper examines the nude paintings in brush and ink by Xu Beihong 徐悲鴻, one of the forerunners in the movement for reforming Chinese painting at the turn of the 20th century. His nude paintings will be analyzed critically and measured against his own theories and lineage. With a close reading of his paintings and their comparison with some of his mentors’ and contemporaries’ works, this paper seeks to explain why Xu had chosen to apply nudity in Chinese painting in which the subject has always been a taboo.

As Xu was a forerunner and had only produced three nude paintings in brush and ink in his comparatively short and tumultuous career, this paper traces his impact on his followers, namely, Jiang Zhaohe 蔣兆和, Li Hu 李斛 and Yang Zhiguang 楊之光 who in one way or another have inhe...[ Read more ]

This paper examines the nude paintings in brush and ink by Xu Beihong 徐悲鴻, one of the forerunners in the movement for reforming Chinese painting at the turn of the 20th century. His nude paintings will be analyzed critically and measured against his own theories and lineage. With a close reading of his paintings and their comparison with some of his mentors’ and contemporaries’ works, this paper seeks to explain why Xu had chosen to apply nudity in Chinese painting in which the subject has always been a taboo.

As Xu was a forerunner and had only produced three nude paintings in brush and ink in his comparatively short and tumultuous career, this paper traces his impact on his followers, namely, Jiang Zhaohe 蔣兆和, Li Hu 李斛 and Yang Zhiguang 楊之光 who in one way or another have inherited, and transformed, Xu’s techniques and style. The paper compares and contrasts these followers’ endeavors with Xu’s own aspirations and pursuits in order to map out the scope of Xu’s influence on Chinese paintings, especially in the area of figural painting.