Pan Tianshou (1897-1971): Rediscovering Traditional Chinese Painting in the Twentieth Century Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Mina Kim, M.A. * * * * * Graduate Program in History of Art The Ohio State University 2016 Dissertation Committee: Professor Julia F. Andrews, Advisor Professor Kirk A. Denton Professor Lisa C. Florman Professor Namiko Kunimoto Copyright by Mina Kim © 2016 Abstract The goal of this dissertation is to enrich scholarly understanding of the transformation in practice and social role of traditional Chinese painting in the twentieth century by focusing on the work of Pan Tianshou (潘天寿 1897-1971). In part because the historical and art historical narratives of the three periods we examine have been so fiercely contested, much work still needs to be done in understanding the personal and environmental factors that made possible the great innovations of China’s major cultural figures. Pan lived during the period when China was most actively and creatively engaging with the forces of modernity. Although inclined by temperament to the classical arts of the past, he nonetheless met the circumstances of each era head-on, throwing himself into the task of redefining Chinese art for the modern age. This study investigates how Pan engaged with cross-cultural exchange, how he reevaluated traditional Chinese painting, and how he tried to update Chinese painting by achieving his unique artistic style. In particular, the Sino-Japanese relationship, which featured prominently in his education, helped Pan begin considering the importance of national identity. His definition of innovation was based in part upon a sense of national identity. At the same time, however, Pan Tianshou said that if tradition cannot pave the way for future artistic possibilities, then it is a dead tradition. To Pan, tradition was an ii inherited culmination of characteristics of masters from the past, but he argued that tradition and innovation are inseparable characteristics of art. His modern transformation of artistic consciousness and modern sense of identity enriched practices and definitions of traditional Chinese painting in the twentieth century. This dissertation primarily hopes to offer an alternative perspective on modernity in Pan Tianshou’s oeuvre as a case study of traditionalist efforts in modern Chinese art. Moreover, it tries to develop a new understanding of some of the results of the rich artistic and intellectual intersections among China, Japan, and the West in the early twentieth century. To be specific, Pan dealt with traditional subjects—bird-and-flower and landscapes—but his constructive composition, emphasis on flat painting surfaces, application of expressive ink tonality with his fingers and hands, and use of animal subjects as self-reflective images are imbued with a modern sensibility. These accomplishments were part of Pan’s larger mission of rediscovering traditional Chinese painting, establishing principles for Chinese painting that were suitable to contemporary art, and laying claim to modernity in the global world. This dissertation, by examining a little-studied aspect of Pan Tianshou’s rediscovery of traditional Chinese painting against the background of three distinct periods of modern history, contributes to research on the cultural complexities of twentieth-century China. iii To my parents, husband and son iv Acknowledgments I would first of all like to thank my advisor, Professor Julia F. Andrews, who loves paintings and nurtures my own love affair with Chinese art. Her warm advice and encouragement opened my eyes to new worlds in my work on Pan Tianshou’s art and her unfaltering guidance and support make me enjoy my research. I would also like to thank Professor Kirk A. Denton, Professor Lisa C. Florman and Professor Namiko Kunimoto on my doctoral examination and dissertation committees for their valuable support. My warmest appreciation also goes to Professor Martin J. Powers and Professor Kevin Carr, who were my undergraduate teachers at the University of Michigan, Professor J. P. Park, who has been my mentor from Michigan and now is at University of California, Riverside, and Professor Youn-mi Kim at the Yale University, who gave me very helpful comments and suggestions regarding the exploration of Buddhism. Without them, I could not have studied East Asian art history. I extend my deepest gratitude. I am particularly grateful to the institutes that have provided financial aid to my research. The Marilyn A. Papp Graduate Scholarship by Marilyn A. Papp Graduate Scholarship Trust, L. Roy Papp & Associates enabled me to conduct field research in China and finish writing my dissertation. The Department of History of Art and the College of Arts and Sciences at The Ohio State University have endowed me with v multiple research and travel grants to perform preliminary research at museums and libraries in the United States and China. There are many other individuals who have been of great help to this dissertation project. I owe a great debt to Professor Wei-Cheng Lin, Professor Peter Sturman, Professor Qianshen Bai, Professor Kuiyi Shen, Professor Ignacio Adriasola, Professor Ruoning Wang, Professor Amanda Gluibizzi, Professor John Huntington, Professor Christian Kleinbub, Professor Kris Paulsen, Professor Andrew Shelton, Professor Jongho Choi, Professor Youngyae Yim, Professor Youngho Kim, Professor Dongyeol Hwang, Dr. Louise Cort, and Dr. Hyunsoo Woo. I was inspired by Professor Pan Gongkai, Dr. Siliang Yang, Professor Richard Vinograd, Professor Claire Roberts, the late Professor James Cahill, and Dr. Chen Yong Yi for their thoughtful research and writing on modern Chinese art and Pan Tianshou. I also want to thank: Christina Burke Mathison, Gwyn Dalton, Mollie Workman, Mary Jones, Mark Svede, Elise David, Julie Defossez, Linda Huang, Yiwen Liu, Kristin Brockman, Michael Bowman, Heyjeong Choi, Ankur Desai, James Hansen, Eliza Ho, Rebecca Howard, Steve Hunt, Annie Jacobson, Mayumi Kamata, Hyun Kyung Kim, Yun-Jeong Min, Elizabeth Sandoval, Yang Wang, Effie Yin, Yanfei Zhu, and Ahyong Yoo. Finally, after I have used my all words, I cannot find enough to express my warmest thanks to my parents, Sujeong Kim and Okbun Yang, my lovely four sisters and their family, my beloved husband, Kyungyong Lee, and my precious son, Daniel Seojin Lee for their endless love and support throughout my life. vi Vita 2007…………………………………….........B.A. History of Art, with High Distinction, (magna cum laude, GPA 3.89/4.0) The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, Michigan 2010-2011…………………………………...University Fellowship, Graduate School, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 2011-2014…………………………………...Graduate Teaching Associate, Department of History of Art, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 2012…………………………………………M.A., History of Art, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 2014-2016……………………………….….Marilyn A. Papp Graduate Scholarship Trust, Dissertation Fellowship. Fields of Study Major Field: History of Art vii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................... v Vita .................................................................................................................................... vii Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. viii List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... x INTRODUCTION………………………...……………………………………..….…….1 CHAPTER 1: Japan as Modern, China as Past..…………………….......…..………......30 1.1. Contacts with the Japanese Art World………………………………..…….....……30 1.1.1. Inspiration from His Teachers………………………...…………….……31 1.1.2. Publishing a Textbook……………………….....…………………...........45 1.2. Probing the Past………………….………………………………..……...........……52 1.2.1. Before Opening the Door………………………...…………….….......…52 1.2.2. Studying Past Masters’ Styles………………….……………….…...…...55 1.2.3. Contemporary Chinese Art World………...………………….……...…..63 1.3. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………....….72 CHAPTER 2: Constructing New Concepts and Artistic Styles in the Present-day….....74 2.1. Pan’s Attempts to Define a Modern Chinese Artistic Identity…….…………....…74 2.1.1. Learning National Identity and Modernity through Japan.………….….75 2.1.2. Pan’s Interest in and Exposure to Western-style Art in China…….……82 viii 2.1.3. Response to the Present………………………………...…………....….86 2.2 The Historical Reconstruction of Traditional Ink Painting………………...…........101 2.2.1. Experimenting with Various Artistic Styles…….……….…...……......102 2.2.2. Disseminating Traditional Chinese Painting and Developing Inventive Artistic Vocabulary………………....……………………………..…………..117 2.3. Conclusion…………………………...……………………...….…………………129 CHAPTER 3: Expanding Boundaries of Traditional Chinese Painting……………..…131 3.1. Political Expressions for a New Society………………...……………........…....…131 3.1.1. Challenging a New Genre, Figure Painting and His First Challenge to Produce “Popular” Art…………………………………………………...….…132 3.1.2. Searching a New Taste for Chinese Communist Society under the Reform of Chinese Painting…………………………………………………………….136 3.1.3. His Experimentation