A Land So Magnificent: Fu Baoshi's Mao-Inspired Poetic Paintings
This volume presents a curated selection of nearly sixty masterpieces by Fu Baoshi (1904-1965), inspired by the poetry of Mao Zedong. Spanning from 1951 to 1965, these works capture the grandeur of China's landscapes and revolutionary spirit through Fu's distinctive brushwork. By transforming Mao's poetic lines into vivid visual narratives, Fu Baoshi elevated the interplay between literature and art to a new height, embodying both patriotic fervor and lyrical elegance.
Highlights include paintings based on Mao's celebrated poems such as Snow (沁園春-雪), The Long March (長征), Swimming (水調歌頭-游泳), Farewell to the God of Plague (送瘟神), and Ode to the Plum Blossom (卜算子-詠梅). Each work reflects Fu's ability to translate verse into imagery, blending traditional ink painting techniques with modern revolutionary themes.
Richly illustrated and meticulously organized by theme and chronology, this book offers scholars, art lovers, and general readers alike an invaluable window into the artistic peak of Fu Baoshi and the cultural significance of Mao-inspired poetic paintings in modern Chinese history.