Lai Shaoqi (1915-2000) Lai Shaoqi was an artist of the older generation of China. He had been engaged in the revolutionary literature and art work for 60 years, and was always loyal to the party and the people and is confident about the Chinese art. He devoted his life to the creation. He was accomplished and successful, especially in the fields of printmaking and Chinese painting.He got actively involved in the liberation of the motherland and the art from 1930s, and was one of the key members and responsible people of the "Academy of Modern Prints" of Guangzhou. He linked his creation closely to the destiny of the motherland and the nation since then, and was called as the "most combat-worthy youth woodcutter" by Lu Xun. After the founding of new China, he continued creating a number of encouraging works of woodcut, painting and calligraphy, started a unique style, the "New Anhui Prints", and made important contribution to the development of Chinese art. Lai settled in Guangzhou in his late years and devoted himself to the creation and research of painting and calligraphy, painting the landscape with the dry brush and Chinese ink. Lai persisted in the exploration and innovation on the basis of the inheritance of the outstanding Chinese culture and art, created a unique art style, distinctively reflecting the characteristics of the times and the features of the motherland, and produced a positive and significant influence in the national and international culture and art. He was awarded the "Lu Xun Prints Award" in 1996 because of his extraordinary artistic accomplishments and unique contributions. The exhibition integrates the nature of art and literature, displaying 170 representative works of Lai from the "New Woodcut Movement" period to his late years. The works cover the woodcut, landscape, flower, calligraphy and other art forms, demonstrating the artistic achievements of Lai completely. His revolutionary experience and artistic career will be fully reflected through the exhibition of the materials of his life.

Good Condition, provenance: private collection of Nottingham

65 x 37 cm