Wu Li
Wu Li
Wu Li (1632-1718) was a calligrapher and painter and Catholic missionary in the early Qing Dynasty. The word Yushan, No. Mojing Taoist, Taoxi Jushi, Jiangnan Changshu (now Jiangsu) people. When he was young, he studied poetry from Qian Qianyi and painting from Wang Jian and Wang Shimin. Kangxi joined the Catholic Church in the 21st year, followed by the Jesuit Church in Macao, and preached in Jiading and Shanghai for 30 years. He is the author of Mo Jing Shi Chao, San Ba Ji, Tao Xi Ji and Mo Jing Hua ba.
Personal profile
Wu Li (1632-1718) was a famous painter in Qing Dynasty. Its original name is Qili, and it is called Yushan and Taoxi. Because he lived in Yanzi Mojing, he was also called Taoist Mojing. He is from Changshu, Jiangsu Province. It is one of the six schools in the early Qing Dynasty. He learns painting when he is young and piano when he is a little older. In his early years, he had many contacts with Western priests and priests. In 1681, Wu Li decided to go to Rome with father boyingli to meet the Pope. He wanted to go to Europe by Dutch ship via Macao, but he failed to make the trip, so he stayed in Macao for more than five months. In 1682, he joined the Jesuit society in Macao and was baptized as Simon shabello. According to the custom, he took the Portuguese name of yaguna. Chang lived in St. Paul's church and wrote poems and paintings. His works, such as the pocket book of Yushan, the picture volume of baizhuan River and the picture of red leaves on autumn mountain, were published. At this time, his paintings obviously absorbed western painting art. At the same time, he also wrote a collection of Sanba, which is named after the transliteration of St. Paul's Church in Macao, where he lived. His 30 miscellaneous chants of Macao are all related to Macao, and are actually important literary historical materials of early Macao. He left Australia in 1682 and preached in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. He died in Shanghai.
Life story
Wu Li was born in 1632 and died in 1718. He lived in the period when the Ming Dynasty was overthrown by the Qing Dynasty and the world was ruled by chaos. Like most of the Han intellectuals who came from the Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, Wu Li also held a negative attitude towards the Manchu Qing regime, although he was only 12 years old when "Jiashen (1644) changed". Wu Na, his 11th ancestor, was an official in Yongxuan period of Ming Dynasty. He served as a censor in zuoyudu of Nanjing. His 9th and 8th ancestors had won the title of Jinshi in Ming Dynasty. Pride and pride flowed in his blood, although his family was not lost later. With the growth of age and the rapid change of society, although he clearly knew that the chaotic and quarreling Nanming court had no hope to send, he had no alternative. He could not change his inherent national emotion to flatter the Manchu Qing regime. Of course, he did not have the courage to face the new dynasty and make a "revolution". The only choice was not to win fame. Therefore, Wu Li, who is 80 years old and only has a similar name, spent his whole life as a cloth clothes. With the change of history, his spiritual world changed from Confucianism to Buddhism (in fact, Wu Li did not convert to Buddhism, nor was he a Buddhist in the sense of home worship. He only made diplomatic relations with monks such as Murong and fled Buddhism) and then Catholicism, marking an arc path for his life. When he joined Catholicism, Emperor Kangxi carried out the "policy of tenderness" in order to appease people of other nationalities and religious beliefs in order to serve the real politics. However, before and after Wu Li's death, the Roman Catholic Church, which had been in dispute for many years, prohibited Chinese believers from worshiping their ancestors and Confucius, which was the so-called "dispute of etiquette" in historical books, and Emperor Kangxi ordered it to be banned After foreigners preached in China, the ban was inherited and strictly enforced by Yongzheng, Qianlong, Jiaqing and Daoguang emperors. Wu Li was one of the three Chinese priests in the early Qing Dynasty. Although he had died at this time, he had an impact on his death. Just three or four years after his death, Emperor Yongzheng, who had just ascended the throne, once again banned Catholicism. Churches and clergymen's cemeteries all over the country were not registered as officials, including the clergymen's cemetery on the South Bank of Lujiabang outside Shanghai's dananmenwai. Since then, the cemetery has been deserted. This is the reason why his year of death is unknown and there are few records of Wu Li's life in various historical books and even notes.
Painting experience
Wu Li's paintings evolved under such a historical background. After joining the Catholic Church of Jesus, Wu Li devoted himself to the work of the church. For nearly 20 years, he seldom painted. Therefore, in the history of fine arts, it is generally believed that the peak of Wu Li's creation was between 40 and 50 years old, and many of his representative works were made during this period, such as the painting scroll of bitter rain in the mountains (1674, 43 years old), the painting scroll of spring scenery in the lake (1676, 45 years old) collected by Shanghai Museum, and the old painting scroll of xingfu'an (1674, 4 years old) collected by Beijing Palace Museum 3) and so on.
artistic characteristics
In his early years, Wu Li studied painting with Wang Jian and was a student of Wang Shimin. Therefore, his early works are very similar to Wang Jian's style, which is delicate and clean. In the middle age, on the basis of visiting various schools in song and Yuan Dynasties, Wang Meng and Wu Zhen were mainly absorbed to form their own style. The layout of the work is relatively real, the placement is appropriate, and it also has a sense of distance. The pen is calm and cautious, and it is good at using heavy ink, accumulating ink. The mountains and rocks are full of three-dimensional feeling, and the style is simple and mellow. For example, the painting axis of spring scenery in the lake and sky collected by Shanghai Museum was made at the age of 45, which was his masterpiece in his middle age. In Pingyuan scenery, willow trees are gradually growing near, middle and far away. Wu calendar is also good at painting bamboo and stone, which is similar to Wu town and has its own characteristics. For example, in the bamboo scroll, the bamboo branches are vigorous, and the branches and leaves are all painted with thick ink, instead of alternating thick and light, which makes them more vigorous.
He imitated the ancients and did not confine himself to the ancients. He was able to integrate the strengths of various schools and create his own new ideas. To a certain extent, he absorbed western methods, such as layout, light and shade, etc He pays attention to the natural landscape, which makes his works full of a certain sense of reality. As he said to himself, "it's not the rule to make powder, but the nature comes with his pen." These are different from the four kings. What is more different from the "four kings" is that Wu's ability to draw figures is extraordinary. The figure story picture, which is collected in the Palace Museum, is classical in modeling, spacious in building, and highly skilled, which has never been involved in the history of painting.
personal works
His representative works include: Sunny Hengshan, Spring Lake, early snow, pipa, walking in the autumn forest, evening bell in autumn temple, farmhouse in mountain village, fairy house in imitation of pine and snow, etc. His works include Mojing HuaBa and Sanba collection.
Brief introduction
The painting of spring in the sky of lake is from the angle of the author standing on a small hill overlooking the lake bank. The artistic conception is leisurely and soft. The close-up of the picture makes several willows with scabby trunks and green branches and leaves. Under the trees are clumps of green grass and patches of green shade. On the surface of the lake near the shore, the White Geese move and the sparrows contend. A spring scene of the earth's recovery and vitality. Along the uneven green willows on the shore of the lake, there is a rising slope, and a path winding away. The thick ink inscription in the upper right corner of the painting not only makes up for the blank from the perspective of layout, but also contrasts with the light ink in the distant mountains, echoes with the thick color in the foreground, and enhances the composition effect of the picture. Wu Li is cautious, simple and thick, meticulous and calm, and uses more centers. Especially his "Yang Mian Cun" is often praised. He is good at using heavy ink and burnt ink, and the ink accumulation method of layer upon layer makes his works more colorful and gloomy. This picture is taken from the real scene of the river bank, with fine and beautiful texturing and dyeing, and light and elegant color. It is a middle-aged product.
Works spread
There are many works handed down by Wu Li. The Shanghai Museum alone has a collection of 32 paintings and calligraphy, including five or six large-scale masterpieces, such as the painting of the rain resting away from the sky, the painting of Fengxi Huiqin, and the painting of huaice hall. The Beijing Palace Museum has a rich collection. For example, Wang Meng's song he Ming Qin painting axis, which was written at the age of 43, has lush scenery, far-reaching layout, fine texturing, thick ink accumulation, heavy ink on the shady side, and "texturing on the sunny side" on the light receiving part, which enhances the three-dimensional feeling of the rocks and reflects the typical style of the mature painter. The picture scroll of Huangshan qingai, written at the age of 75, imitates Wang Meng and is even more gloomy. The rocks are textured with dry ink and rubbed with burnt ink. The Yin and yang are clear and moist. The painting axis of spring sound and pine color, written at the age of 75, is imitated by Huang Gongwang, with dense texturing and powerful writing. The works of these imitators in their later years all have the characteristics of thick and dignified.
Market price Wu Li, a Catholic in his middle age, went to Macao to practice Taoism at the age of 50 and devoted himself to religious activities. Therefore, there are very few works in the period of 50 to 70 years old. Although the later works after 70 years old tend to be more vigorous and concise, heavy and simple, the price of works at that time is lower than that of his middle age. Even in his later years.
Nowadays, there are few works of Wu Li entering the markets of Europe, America, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the prices are rising higher. For example, the ancient wood, bamboo and stone landscape album (32.5 * 22.5cm) auctioned by Christie's in New York in 1989 reached a high price of 352000 US dollars.
Chinese PinYin : Wu Li
Wu Li
