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Li Mei-shu (; 13 March 1902 – 6 February 1983) was a Taiwanese painter, sculptor, and politician. He was best known for his paintings as well as his restoration attempt of the
The subjects of Li's paintings are depicted in a realist style and are primarily figures, landscapes, and still lifes. Even in the 1950s, when abstract art styles were in favor, his paintings still remained true to
Li Mei-shu Memorial Gallery, Taiwan Site
Li Mei-shu Memorial Gallery
人間國寶 梅樹先
Starting Out from 23.5°N: Chen Cheng-po, Academia Sinica Digital Center (ASDC)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Li, Mei-shu Taiwanese sculptors Taiwanese people of Hoklo descent Artists from New Taipei 1902 births 1983 deaths 20th-century sculptors Tokyo School of Fine Arts alumni Politicians of the Republic of China on Taiwan from New Taipei Academic staff of the National Taiwan Normal University Academic staff of the National Taiwan University of Arts Academic staff of the Chinese Culture University
Changfu Temple
Changfu Temple () is a Taoist temple along Sanxia Old Street in Sanxia District, New Taipei, Taiwan. Master Qingshui, known locally as ''Zushi-Gong'' (), is the principal deity worshiped at Changfu Temple.
History
Changfu Temple was first buil ...
.
Education
Li was born to an upper-class family in Sankakuyū (),Japanese Taiwan
The island of Taiwan, together with the Penghu Islands, became an annexed territory of the Empire of Japan in 1895, when the Qing dynasty ceded Fujian-Taiwan Province in the Treaty of Shimonoseki after the Japanese victory in the First Sin ...
(modern-day Sanxia District
Sanxia District () is a district in the southwestern part of New Taipei, Taiwan. It is the second largest district in New Taipei City by area after Wulai District.
Name
The old name of Sanxia, ''Sa-kak-eng'' () refers to the meeting of the D ...
, New Taipei City
New Taipei City is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality located in regions of Taiwan, northern Taiwan. The city is home to an estimated population of 4,004,367 as of January 2023, making it the most populous city in Taiwan, a ...
) on 13 March 1902. He began to demonstrate a propensity for painting in his early years. In 1918, he was accepted into the Painting Division of the Taiwan Governor-General's National Language School. He taught himself painting after school through a copy of A Collection of Lectures, which he ordered from Japan through post. Upon graduating, he taught at Zuihō Public School (in modern-day Ruifang District
Ruifang District () is a suburban District (Taiwan), district in eastern New Taipei City, Taiwan.
History
During Taiwan under Japanese rule, Japanese rule, Ruifang was called , and was administered as part of of Taihoku Prefecture. Mining ...
). During this time, he participated in the Summer Art Seminar organized by Kinichiro Ishikawa
was a Japanese painter. He taught part-time in Taiwan at the University of Taipei and as full-time instructor at the Taiwan Mandarin Institute. He promoted modern western art education in Taiwan and was considered a pioneer of art education. In T ...
. His works 'Still Life and Backstreets of Sanxia' were selected for the first and second Taiwan Art Exhibitions (Taiten), respectively.
He then obtained his family’s consent to go to Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
to further his painting studies. In 1929, he was accepted by the Division of Western Painting at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, where he studied with teachers such as Okada Saburousuke and Kobayashi Mango.
Work and public life
After graduating in 1934, Li returned to Taiwan and co-founded the Tai-Yang Art Society along with artists such as Liao Chi-chun, Tan Teng-pho, and Yen Shui-long. In 1935, his work ''Girl at Rest'' was the special selection of the ninth Taiwan Art Exhibition. In 1939, his work ''Red Dress'' was selected for the third Ministry of Education Art Exhibition (Shin Bunten). AfterWorld War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Li served several terms as chairman of Sanxia street, township representative, and county councilor. From 1945, he served as director of the re-construction committee of Qingshui Zushi (Divine Ancestor) Temple in Sanxia. He invited his friends in the art community, such as Chen Jin, Lin Yushan, Guo Xuehu, to reconstruct the stone walls and sculptures of Changfu Temple
Changfu Temple () is a Taoist temple along Sanxia Old Street in Sanxia District, New Taipei, Taiwan. Master Qingshui, known locally as ''Zushi-Gong'' (), is the principal deity worshiped at Changfu Temple.
History
Changfu Temple was first buil ...
(locally known as Zushi Temple) together; this reconstruction was considered to be Li's masterpiece.
In 1962, he devoted himself to the promotion of art education by teaching in the art departments of schools such as Chinese Culture University
The Chinese Culture University (CCU; ) is a private Taiwanese university located in Yangmingshan in Shilin District, Taipei, Taiwan. Established in 1962, CCU is one of the largest universities in Taiwan with an enrollment of about 32,000 student ...
, National Taiwan University of Arts
National Taiwan University of Arts (NTUA; zh, c=國立臺灣藝術大學) is a university in Banqiao District, New Taipei City, Taiwan. It is the oldest art university in Taiwan.
History
National Taiwan University of Arts (NTUA) was establ ...
, and National Taiwan Normal University
National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) is a National university, national comprehensive university in Taipei and New Taipei City, Taiwan.
The university enrolls approximately 17,000 students each year. Approximately 1,600 students are Intern ...
.
Painting style
The subjects of Li's paintings are depicted in a realist style and are primarily figures, landscapes, and still lifes. Even in the 1950s, when abstract art styles were in favor, his paintings still remained true to realism
Realism, Realistic, or Realists may refer to:
In the arts
*Realism (arts), the general attempt to depict subjects truthfully in different forms of the arts
Arts movements related to realism include:
*American Realism
*Classical Realism
*Liter ...
. Li’s paintings demonstrated strong local sentiments and his love for portraying local people and culture. His great love for Sanxia has produced scenic paintings of Sanxia such as ''Spring Dawn at Sanxia'' (1977) and ''Washing Clothes in the River'' (1981). He also loved to use his family members as models for his paintings and used photographs to provide an outline or base for his work. Li emphasized the characteristics of the people he was painting through details such as the patterns of their clothing and subject’s relationship with the background.
See also
* Li Mei-shu Memorial GalleryReferences
External links
Li Mei-shu Memorial Gallery, Taiwan Site
Li Mei-shu Memorial Gallery
人間國寶 梅樹先
Starting Out from 23.5°N: Chen Cheng-po, Academia Sinica Digital Center (ASDC)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Li, Mei-shu Taiwanese sculptors Taiwanese people of Hoklo descent Artists from New Taipei 1902 births 1983 deaths 20th-century sculptors Tokyo School of Fine Arts alumni Politicians of the Republic of China on Taiwan from New Taipei Academic staff of the National Taiwan Normal University Academic staff of the National Taiwan University of Arts Academic staff of the Chinese Culture University