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Lingering Snow on Mt. Jade

Tags: art | Lu Ji-Zheng | painting

Lu Ji-Zheng (1914–1990), 1970
Oil painting, 51.5 x 70.5 cm

 

Born in Yaraku Cho, in the vicinity of Dadoacheng, Taipei, Lu Ji-Zheng studied in Xiamen, where he was raised by his uncle. From 1931 to 1934, Lu learned painting in Kobe, Japan and became active in the painting circle after he went to Tokyo in 1935. In 1934, his work was selected to the 8th Taiwan Art Exhibition. In 1937 he joined Tai-yang Art Society, and in 1938 participated in the first exhibition hosted by the Mouve Artists Society. Following his return to Taiwan after the war, Lu produced mountain pieces regularly. Lingering Snow on Mt. Jade is a 1970 work done when Lu was 56. Three horizontal lines of mountain ridges are clearly seen in the picture; and in the forefront, obscured by the sienna surface and white snow, are trees and a hut. In the middle ground, forceful palette knife scrapes out thick blocks of mountain range. In the background, the summit of Mt. Jade manifests itself in the foggy snow interweaved in colors blue and white. The right side of the summit is being inundated with icy snow, linking heaven and earth. Due to Lu’s passion for mountain-climbing and mountain-painting after World War II, he has earned the title of “mountain painter.” This mountain snow painting belongs to one of his mountain series. His use of simple brushstrokes and cold color tone takes the viewers on a virtual trip to Mt. Jade, showcasing its snow scene in spring and demonstrating its austere grandeur.

 

Department of Graphic Communications and Digital Publishing, Shih Hsin University Digital archiving project of the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines

Original Chinese text is composed by Professor Cheng-Ming Su, Department of Visual Arts, Taipei Municipal University of Education