Virtuoso's donated works carry on artistic lineage

Among the artists who captivate audiences with their depictions of spring scenery are the manhua (Chinese-style comic) works of Feng Zikai (1898-1975), a beloved painter who was also a virtuoso in calligraphy, literature and music.

He left a body of work marked by free-flowing strokes and soft palettes, with an underlying peace and humor. Beneath the brushstrokes, the arrival of spring is visible in blooming willow trees, sprouts of grass, flower sellers on the street and people watching swallows fly above.

Feng's family recently donated some of his works to the China National Academy of Painting in Beijing, including six manhua-style paintings in which the artist depicted the vivid spring scenery, his used ink slab, and a hand scroll of 10 drawings created by his family members.

"Feng Zikai's works are unique because he integrated literature with painting, creating a narrative with lyrical beauty," says Liu Wanming, head of the China National Academy of Painting, who has been close to the Feng family for years.

He says that Feng depicted everyday life, with shrewd observations of not only an artist but also a writer keen to reveal the truth of life and human nature, making his paintings thought-provoking with philosophical depth.

One donated piece was inspired by A Boat Trip at Night, a poem by Wang Yu of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) — "In the bawls of street vendors who peddle flowers, one hears the sound of spring". The original verses convey nostalgic sorrow, though Feng's brushwork delivers hope and delight.

"He favored simple, clear outlines to summarize the appearances of the figures he painted," Liu says. "Sometimes he skipped detailing the facial features, but relied on body language to reveal people's inner worlds."

The donated paintings show Feng's typical style, and also an intimate world and spiritual realm that he created to rest his heart and mind, and also that of his audiences.

Feng once said: "My mind has been preoccupied with four things — the deities and stars in the sky; the art and the children on Earth."

Liu says that Feng particularly loved painting children, the interesting things his children did, or children he observed. Feng's art is widely beloved by generations because it exudes innocence, sincerity and kindness.

One of the donated paintings visualizes a scene from a poem by Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) poet and essayist Yuan Mei: "Not knowing the spring has come, children inquire about why the grass has turned green."

Liu says: "Feng's works show the extraordinary in the ordinary and the greatness in the small, and create long-lasting resonance."

The donation includes a 5-meter-long horizontal scroll comprised of 10 ink paintings made by Feng, his children, and other family members, spanning from the 1960s to 2022. The work bears calligraphic inscriptions by Liu: "Realistic, humorous, philosophical, heartwarming."

Feng Yu, a grandson of Feng Zikai, says he hopes the works entering the State collection will inspire more artists. They belong to all people and must be shown to the public to carry on the cultural lineage.

Liu says that, encouraged by the Feng family's donation, the China National Academy of Painting plans an exhibition of Feng Zikai's art later this year.