Qi Baishi

(1864–1957), Chinese painter. Qi Baishi (original name Qi Huang; numerous art names), the most famous painter of China's Republican period (1912–1949), developed an expressive style of brushwork that captured the essential qualities of a wide range of subjects. Born in Hunan Province to a peasant family, Qi Baishi continually sought self-betterment in a class-conscious society. Despite having little education, he rose from lowly carpenter's apprentice to acceptance by the elite. He learned the art of woodcarving and improved his designs by studying the famous Mustard Seed Garden Painting Manual. He then began artisan painting. Various scholars recognized his talents and taught him, successively, the traditional gongbi (meticulous) style of brushwork for portraiture, flowers and birds, and landscape. He also learned seal carving, calligraphy, and poetry, skills that granted him entry to the literati class and for which he later became famous.

In 1902 Qi Baishi began traveling outside Hunan and in 1917, fleeing civil disorder at home, he made Beijing his residence. There he mastered the literati mode of xieyi (expressive) brushwork and developed a personal style. His closely observed, ordinary subjects were limned in vigorous lines and bright hues, the latter an innovation in literati painting. After 1949 the Chinese government granted him numerous honorary titles, including First Peoples Artist and chairman of the Chinese Artists' Association.

Hejzlar, Josef. (1980) Chinese Watercolors. Trans. by Till Gottheinerova. London: Octopus Books.

Tsao, Jung Ying. (1993) The Paintings of Xugu and Qi Baishi. San Francisco: Far East Fine Arts.