Living in a time of civil and political turmoil, Qi Baishi (1864–1957) was renowned for his modernisation of Chinese ink painting. Conveying rural sentiments with bold landscapes, lifelike animals and plants, and lively and amusing figures, his paintings of everyday life broke social and cultural barriers, and he is credited with transforming the traditional brush art of China’s educated elite into an expressionistic and abstract form that speaks clearly to the modern era. The exhibition features nearly 40 works—almost all on loan from the Beijing Fine Art Academy—and offers a rare opportunity to examine the breadth of Qi’s artistic vision and inspiration.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston — “Qi Baishi: Inspiration in Ink”
