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One of the most important characteristics of Chinese painting is the use of linear stroke techniques. On the surface, Chinese painting utilizes linear stroke techniques in order to construct images, but on a deeper level, these techniques provide the medium through which the artist can express vibrancy and emotion. Indeed, one might say that the use of linear stroke techniques enables the artist to express himself through his art.
Jen Po-nien’s paintings have enjoyed an enduring fame, and his techniques and styles have had a profound influence on later generations. Master Jen lived in Shanghai at a time when the city’s prosperity attracted talented artists from around the country. In the midst of this flourishing artistic environment, Master Jen eventually created his own unique style of painting featuring vibrant figures portrayed using innovative techniques. Whether refined and detailed or bold and unrestrained, Master Jen’s brush was able to portray the myriad expressions of commoner and gentry alike in ways that seemed to capture their nature and emotions in a realistic manner. His work also reflected the unique free-style approach of the “xie yi” style, and brought about the emergence of portraiture as a category of “wen ren” or idealist painting.
Even today, there is much we can learn from Master Jen’s work. In keeping with the spirit of studying the past to improve the present, this thesis focuses on Jen Po-nien’s techniques for portraying people and their influence on the author’s own style of painting.
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