Author:Wu Kuang-Pei

Size:Length:191.5 x Width:41.5 (cm)

Size description：畫心120.5×34.4

Introduction：Wu Kuang-Pei (1937-), a native of Heishan County, Guangdong County, was born in Vietnam. From a young age, he developed a passion for traditional Chinese painting. While attending Sui Ceng Primary School in Vietnam, he worked at painter Tsao Shih’s film advertisement studio, where he laid a solid foundation in sketching and painting. After returning to Taiwan, he pursued his artistic passion in his spare time. In 1990, he had the privilege of becoming a disciple of Master Huang Lei-Sheng, a contemporary master of the Lingnan School of Painting. He dedicated himself to mastering the Lingnan painting techniques, refining his skills in bone stroke techniques, naturalistic coloring, wet powder ink application, and contrast shading. His artistic journey is guided by the philosophy of “Art is boundless, and painting is eternal”, striving to achieve a state of “joy in art” as a path to personal fulfillment.
The Lingnan School is a Chinese painting movement composed of painters from Guangdong founded in the late Qing Dynasty by “The Three Masters of Lingnan”—Kao Chien-Fu, Kao Chi-Feng, and Chen Shu-Jen. Rooted in innovation, the school emerged in response to the influence of Western artistic trends and the broader Chinese art reform movement. In the late 19th century, pioneering educators such as Ho Tzu-Yuan and Chiu Feng-Chia challenged conservative artistic traditions by establishing modern schools that cultivated progressive and innovative thinkers. This movement not only revitalized Lingnan culture but also fueled the momentum of the 1911 Revolution.
The Lingnan School advocated for the incorporation of Western techniques into traditional Chinese painting, merging Eastern and Western artistic strengths. With a revolutionary spirit and a profound sense of responsibility, its artists sought to modernize Chinese painting while preserving the distinct essence of traditional brushwork. The resulting works are characterized by bold and expressive brushstrokes, vivid colors, fluid washes, and a dynamic, harmonious balance, creating a new modern artistic paradigm infused with local identity and contemporary relevance.
The second-generation masters of the Lingnan School, including Kuan Shan-Yueh, Li Hsiung-Tsai, Chao Shao-Ang, and Yang Shan-Shen, introduced further innovations in both subject matter and technique, advancing beyond the achievements of their predecessors. They are regarded as the four great contemporary Lingnan painters. Alongside Cantonese opera and Cantonese music, the Lingnan School of Painting is recognized as one of the “Three Treasures of Lingnan Culture.” In the landscape of 20th-century Chinese painting, the Lingnan School stood alongside the Peking-Tientsin and Shanghai Schools, forming a triadic dominance and serving as a representative force of modern Chinese painting.
This series consists of four paintings, forming a four-panel screen featuring peonies. Revered as a symbol of national beauty and grace, the peonies in this artwork appear to bloom in full splendor under the artist’s brush. Even when expressed solely in ink, the painting still conveys a striking sense of vibrancy, allowing the viewer to perceive the richness of color through its composition.

Accession Number:PT09803204

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