Page 140 - 2020 November 30 Bonhams Rev. Richard Fabian Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy Hong Kong

QI BAISHI (1864-1957) 齊白石（1864-1957）
Original name Chunzhi, used the courtesy name Weiqing, sobriquets 原名純芝，字渭清，號寄萍老人、白石山人、三百石印富翁。湖南湘
Jiping laoren, Baishi shanren, Shanbai shiyin fuweng. A native of 潭人。四歲學字，十四歲起學雕花木工，後兼習繪畫，並拜蕭薌陔為
Xiangtan in Hunan Province, Qi learned to write at age four, became 師。二十五歲拜入名士胡沁園、陳少蕃門下習詩、書、畫及篆刻，
a carpenter at age fourteen, and studied painting with Xiao Xianggai. 並開始兼以賣畫為生。胡沁園為之取名為璜，字瀕生，號白石山人。
At age twenty-five, he studied poetry, painting, and calligraphy with 四十歲始周遊南北名山大川。一九一九年，北上定居京城，以鬻畫製
renowned scholars Hu Xinyuan and Chen Shaofan, the former giving 印為生。得陳師曾賞識， 攜其畫作至「東京中日聯合繪畫展覽會」
him the name Huang and sobriquet Baishi Shanren. He began selling 展銷，令齊氏名噪海外，亦在京城站穩腳跟。一九二七年起，受林風
paintings as a living and continued to learn seal carving from master 眠與徐悲鴻先後邀請，任教於國立北平藝術專門學校。李苦禪、李可
carvers. In 1919 at the age of fifty-seven, Qi moved permanently to 染、王雪濤、京劇名角梅蘭芳等皆為齊門弟子。齊白石畫風自成一
Beijing and made his living by selling paintings and seals. He met Chen 格，取材廣博，山水、花鳥、草蟲、蔬果、人物、玩具乃至農具均可
Shizeng, who helped exhibit and sell Qi’s paintings in Tokyo, thereby 入畫， 所繪蝦、蟹、游魚，深得大眾喜愛。山水花卉遠參石濤、八
establishing his reputation in the international market. In the late 1920s, 大、徐渭，近取吳昌碩，用色大膽，筆力雄健，造型簡練生動，意境
at the invitation of Lin Fengmian and later Xu Beihong, Qi began to 淳厚樸實。白石以為：「作畫妙在似與不似之間，太似為媚俗，不似
teach painting at the Beijing Fine Art School. Among Qi’s noted pupils 為欺世。」
were Li Kuchan, Li Keran, Wang Xuetao, and one of the most famous
Beijing opera masters Mei Lanfang.

Qi Baishi’s painting style was unique. Taking his subjects from nature,
he painted landscapes, birds, flowers, insects, fruits and vegetables,
figures, and toys. He excelled in painting shrimp, crabs, and fish.
While he studied the works of Shitao, Bada Shanren, Xu Wei, and the
techniques of Wu Changshuo, his bold use of bright colors in contrast
with traditional ink was unprecedented. His subjects were lively, and
his creative concept simple and substantial. Qi once said: “The marvel
of painting lies between likeness and unlikeness; too much likeness
makes a painting common, too little likeness and it deceives the
world.”

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