Old Rules, No --- Day 14/21

 Walk: Hood

Distance: 3 miles

Qi Baishi (Chinese, 1864-1957),ink on scroll paper on silk)

So, Ciwt knows little about Asian art, but she did know that older Chinese art is a highly regimented practice judged by how well the artist meets standards of perfection in its various aspects.  Artists study for years calligraphy, brushwork, respectful, near worshipful renderings of nature and formal, polite portrayals people.  So, imagine her surprise when she encountered the ink panel above by Qi Baishi.

The subject is cleaning his ears!

And then right across from it this man calmly escorting his son or grandson to or from school.  Whether coming or going, have you ever seen a child more unhappy about the school experience?  Or, maybe you have in real life, but not in traditional Chinese art.

Turns out Qi Baishi (one of the several names he used) was as interested in traditional technique and subject matter as this little boy. Basically hardly at all.  After a few years training in the fundamentals of fine brushwork and meticulous detail, he realized could paint in his own expressive way.  That way he could pursue art as his full-time career instead of dreaming of becoming a professional artist praised by the critics. So he produced art in his own expressive way, traveling extensively thoughout China and finding mentors here and there.  This was quite something at his time (1864 - 1957) when freedom of artistic expression was scorned by critics who refused to acknowledge Qi's work as art.

But, not so his fellow countrypeople.  Qi was and continues to be China's most popular artist, appreciated by viewers from all walks of life.  He often used friends, neighbors, villagers depicting them in various everyday activities.  With real people as models, his subjects are transformed from their traditional solemn appearances into charming, relatable ordinary people.  And the secular (non-art critic) Chinese immediately loved looking at and being amused by themselves in daily activities and moods they could relate to.  Qi became beloved for these and other lively renderings of subjects ranging from plant to animal life (like the doves in the previous CIWT)  And collectors at all levels of art knowledge bought up and his works during his life time and today pay enormous, headline-worthy sums for it.  

So much for critics....