Preening Mother with Child, by Hu Yongkai

Preening Mother with Child, by Hu Yongkai, gouache on paper, image > 13.5" X 13.5" with silk matting > 17" X 17" Hu Yongkai (b. 1945, Beijing) learned about Western art as astudent at the Central Academy of Fine Arts of Beijing. The program emphasizedWestern oil painting, and he was drawn to the work of Paul Gauguin and VincentVan Gogh in particular. During the Cultural Revolution, Hu and his staff at theShanghai Animation Film Studios were sent to the countryside south of Shanghai.Like Nie Ou and Zeng Shanqing, agrarian life had a profound impact on his art.When not performing hard labor, Hu sketched the village people and buildingsaround him and incorporated these images into his later work. He was inspiredby the art of peasants who had no formal training—a departure from the art hestudied at the academy. Women at leisure are a prominent subject in his art. The architectural and garden settings evoke traditionalpaintings and historic places. He blends Chinese and Western art, formaltraining and naïve self-expression with the past and present to create an idyllicworld. The cut paper decoration on the window means 'happiness doubled'. The gouache is in good condition for its age, the 1980s-'90s, with slight age appropriate wear on the white matting. Free shipping in the lower 48 states, if purchasing from abroad please inquire for int'l shipping rates, thank-you.