Qi Baishi
Qi Baishi (1864-1957), renowned Chinese ink painter, master of shrimp, birds, and flowers, who revitalized literati painting. Print.
Qi Baishi, the Carpenter Turned Master of the Brush
Qi Baishi (1864-1957) is one of the greatest Chinese painters of the 20th century. A former carpenter and cabinetmaker turned master of ink painting, he revitalized the literati tradition with a freshness, spontaneity, and humor drawn from his rural childhood: shrimps, crabs, chicks, flowers, insects, and birds.
Milestones
- 1864: Born in Xiangtan, Hunan Province, on January 1st.
- Youth: Carpenter then wood sculptor.
- 1910s: Settled in Beijing.
- 1955: International Peace Prize.
- 1957: Died in Beijing, September 16th.
Journey
Born on January 1, 1864, in Xiangtan, Hunan Province, into a peasant family, Qi Baishi began as a carpenter and wood sculptor. Self-taught, he learned painting, calligraphy, poetry, and seal engraving, continually refining his skills. Settling in Beijing from the 1910s, he developed a style of great freedom, where a few brushstrokes bring a translucent shrimp or a bird to life. Admired worldwide, he received the International Peace Prize in 1955. He died in Beijing on September 16, 1957. Today, his paintings achieve record prices at public sales.
The Art of Simplicity
The strength of Qi Baishi lies in the economy of his means. A few spots of ink, more or less diluted, a lively stroke, a touch of red are enough to bring forth a transparent shrimp, a crab, a lotus flower, or a bird on a branch. An heir to literati painting, he infuses it with freedom and tenderness for life's small things, making it universal. As a calligrapher and seal engraver, he composes each sheet as a whole, where image, writing, and seal respond to each other.
Choosing a Work by Qi Baishi
His prints, true to the freshness of his brush, allow one to live with one of the great masters of Chinese art. Their simplicity suits all interiors, from the most classic to the most minimalist. Each work offered by the gallery is described with precision and sold with an invoice-certificate.
Qi Baishi at Galerie 125
The gallery offers above "Le Perroquet," a print measuring 56 x 38 cm that captures the freshness of his brush. It is shipped to you with care, tracked and insured, along with the gallery's certificate. Other Asian masters to discover: Léonard Foujita, Takanori Oguiss, and Shoichi Hasegawa.
Do you own a work by Qi Baishi and wish to sell it? Find out how on our Sell an Artwork page.