Qi Baishi

From Tang pottery to an artist of the XX century: this page is now dedicated to the traditional Chinese painter Qi Baishi (1863-1957). Born in Hunan, he became a dominating figure among painters in Beijing, expressing himself with great boldness and simplicity. He's best known for his late paintings, chiefly of birds and flowers, crabs and shrimps. After 1949, these subjects were read as descriptions of the people's everyday life, so that Qi Baishi was left in peace by the communist ideology that put the arts in the service of politics and the state.

Qi Baishi receives a gift on his birthday. Published on Il dibattito culturale in Cina (Cultural debate in China), Rome, 1956. The XVII Biennale in Venice hosted a personal exhibition of Qi's works.
The thing for prolonging life is wine! Hanging scroll. Ink and color on paper.
Pine branch with squirrel Hanging scroll. Ink and color on paper.	A river with fish and chickens on the bank Hanging scroll. Ink and color on paper.

 

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Sinophilia was born in 1998 as a meeting-point for China-lovers. In these years we have managed to build a database of essential information on the Chinese culture, adding here and there a few more specific essays on Chinese art, history, language and religions, and some useful tools.

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