Song Wenzhi-The Pioneer of Chinese Modern Painting Innovation
Song Wenzhi(1919-1999), pen named Song Hao, was born in Taicang, Jiangsu Province. Given the poor family conditions, he became a disciple in the Advertisement Agency of Shanghai, learning sketch in Suzhou Institute of Fine Arts Shanghai School for six months at the same time. Then he worked as an Art Teacher in Taicang Middle School, Anting Normal University, and Zhenchuan Middle School. Since the 1930s, he started to learn the techniques of landscape painting from “four Wangs” (Wang Shimin, Wang Jian, Wang Hui, and Wang Yuanqi) of Qing Dynasty. Later, he learned a lot of techniques from famous painters of Tang, Song, and Yuan Dynasties. He then improved comprehensively through learning from Zhang Shiyuan and Wu Hufan, prestigious landscape painters from Shanghai, and through patient guidance from Zhu Qizhan and Lu Yanshao. He was appointed as vice painter of Painting Institute of Jiangsu Province. He then gave classes in Nanjing Institute of Art, Nanjing Normal University and Nanjing University. He was once appointed as the painter and vice dean of Painting Institute of Jiangsu Province, member of China Artists Association, vice president of Jiangsu Artists Association, standing Member of CPPCC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, and vice director-general of Jiangsu International Culture Exchange Center.
Mr. Song has devoted himself to Chinese painting for many years, especially expert in painting landscapes. His works are powerful and magnificent with profound artistic conception as well as unique style, which include Jinggangshan, Lushan Waterfall, Great Changes of Mountains and Rivers, Jiangnan Spring Tide, My Boat has Left Ten Thought Mountains Far Away, The Eternal Spring of Meiyuan , Plum flowers Spring Rain and Jiangnan, Shujiang, Mount Hua and Mount Huang and many other outstanding ones. He has held art exhibitions and lectures at National Art Museum of China, Jiangsu Art Museum, Anhui Museum, Taicang City Cultural Center, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Germany. Some of his works have either been recommended by China Artists Association to be displayed in important art exhibitions of the United States, the Soviet Union, Italy, France and so like or have been collected by National Art Museum of China, Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution, Shenyang Museum, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Fukoka Art Museum of Japan, and galleries of domestic and foreign art colleges. He was introduced as one of the pioneers of Chinese modern painting innovation in the large album of "Chinese Painting in the 1960s" published in Hong Kong, and was listed in the Who's Who in the World 1987 by Oxford University Press, as well as Who's Who in the Asia-Pacific Region by Cambridge University Press.
