The enduring legacy of Zhong Han's paintings

In the contemporary art world, it is indeed rare to find scholar-painters who achieve remarkable success in painting, artistic research, and education. As an outstanding scholar-painter, Zhong Han (1929-2023) published a series of painting catalogs as well as theoretical writings on the masterpieces in the history of Western and Chinese art. He was also one of the leading oil-painting artists and professors in China. 

Zhong Han's paintings on display at the exhibition hall at the Bai'etan venue of the Guangdong Museum of Art. Photos by Wang Haiying unless otherwise stated

Cherishing an idealistic passion for creating oil paintings with unique modern Chinese style, Zhong produced many masterpieces with refined colors and magnificent style, which have exerted a profound influence on the development of Chinese art. 

Zhong Han paints in a studio at the Oil Painting Department of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in 1998. File photo

Demonstrating Zhong’s creative process and artistic evolution over 60 years, a bilingual exhibition “Perfecting for 60 Years: Zhong Han’s Art from Beijing Fine Art Academy” is currently on display at the Bai'etan new site of the Guangdong Museum of Art in Guangzhou through Sept. 21. 

Showcasing Zhong’s oil paintings, gouaches and sketches created from 1961 to 2021 from the collection of Beijing Fine Art Academy, this exhibition is a “Tour show of Outstanding Collection Exhibition from Art Museums in China 2024” awarded by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. 

As one of Zhong’s outstanding doctoral students, Prof. Fan Bo, the president of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, made an impressive speech at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, recalling the prominent achievements and earnest instructions of Professor Zhong.

Visitors view Zhong Han’s oil paintings during the opening of “Perfecting for 60 Years” at the Bai'etan venue of the Guangdong Museum of Art in Guangzhou on Aug. 8.

The exhibition is composed of three units. The first unit, “The Zigzagging Yellow River” includes works related to the Yellow River. 

Benefiting from the favorable policies of new China since 1949, Zhong was admitted to study at the top universities in China as well as the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp in Belgium. Feeling grateful to his motherland, he was extremely interested in making works that portray the history of modern Chinese revolution. In one of his classic works “Along the River,” he highlighted the figures with radiant sunshine, showing the backs of a great man walking along the Yellow River with an ordinary local man.

Gaining opportunities to visit the Yellow River area several times during his life, Zhong had a great affection for the boatmen on the river. He created many large works that depicted the lives of the courageous boatmen conquering the torrential Yellow River, who symbolize the indomitable national spirit of the Chinese people. 

For instance, his oil painting “Boatmen of the Yellow River" (colored draft) depicts two brave boatmen dragging a heavy boat onto the colorful river, bathed in the brilliant rays of the dawning sun.

"Boatmen of the Yellow River" (colored draft), oil painting by Zhong Han.

In addition to these grand themes, Zhong also explored "indoor scenes." The second unit “Never Alone in Art” mainly showcases his oil paintings of indoor subjects, in which he presented the elegant studios of renowned Beijing artists with beautiful brushstrokes in a unique Chinese style. 

Concerning Zhong's rendition of indoor subjects, Fan Di’an, chairman of the China Artists Association,  remarked, “In a series of oil paintings, Zhong Han displayed various indoor lighting effects imbued with psychological fascination. His works demonstrate leading artists’ studios in China, transforming both artificial and natural light into spiritual brilliance while elevating indoor scenes to ideological realms.” 

One of the representative works of this unit is “Warm Winter.” It portrays a group of professors of the Oil Painting Department of the Central Academy of Fine Art, who are discussing professional topics in the warm sunshine streaming from the windows in the background.

"Warm Winter," oil painting by Zhong Han, 2003.

The third unit displays works of “Poetic Scenery.” Since 1949, Zhong traveled to many places in China to seek new inspiration. With profound patriotic passion, he depicted various poetic and romantic scenes while documenting the lives of people working in different fields. His works resonate with the famous line from German poet Hölderlin: “With numerous achievements, men dwell poetically on the earth.”

For example, “Shepherd and His Sheep,” one of the remarkable works of this exhibition, presents a romantic sight showing a shepherd driving his sheep back home in the splendor of the setting sun. The golden sheep and the blue hills in the distance create a fascinating contrast in colors. Between them, the long shadows of the trees connect the gleaming sky and the sheep, suggesting the shepherd’s sweet wishes for a bright tomorrow.

"Shepherd and His Sheep," oil painting by Zhong Han, 1996. 

Throughout his life, Zhong strove for perfect artistic conception. Before creating an oil painting, he usually made diverse compositions in smaller sizes, such as drawings, black-and-white sketches and colored drafts, from which the final perfect artwork was generated. Then, Zhong elaborated each work with exceptional skill to achieve perfection in forms, colors and structures. And above all, by integrating Western principles of light and color with the poetic aesthetics in ancient China, he created appealing works that emit spiritual shining from the depths of his soul.

(Author Wang Haiying is the curator of the exhibition “Perfecting for 60 Years：Zhong Han’s Art from Beijing Fine Art Academy” and researcher of the Guangdong Museum of Art )

"Portrait of Louis at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp," drawing by Zhong Han, 1981.

Perfecting for 60 Years：Zhong Han’s Art from Beijing Fine Art Academy

Date: Aug. 8-Sept. 21

Venue: Hall 7, Guangdong Museum of Art ( Bai‘etan )

Opening hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday. No admission after 4:30 p.m.

Closed on Mondays (Excluding public vacations and exceptional situations)

Add: 19 Bai’etan South Road, Liwan District, Guangzhou (广州市荔湾区白鹅潭南路19号广东美术馆新馆)

Inquiries: (020) 8890-2999，(020) 8890-2888