Table Of ContentArt’s Public Lives: Sculpture in China After 1949
by
Vivian Y. Li
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
(History of Art)
in the University of Michigan
2015
Doctoral Committee
Associate Professor Joan Kee, Chair
Professor Alexander D. Potts
Professor Martin J. Powers
Professor Wang Zheng
To the artists and the lives their art affected
ii
Acknowledgements
Joan Kee, my advisor and mentor. For her remarkable discernment, pragmatism, and precision,
and for not letting me indulge in the impulse to explain away the strangeness of histories of art
that do not fit, but to question why they do not fit.
Alex Potts for his forthright curiosity and observations that are disarmingly keen and compelling.
Marty Powers for his impeccable and critical knowledge of Chinese art and society.
Zhang Wang for her practical insights on research and how to read history between the lines.
Debbie Fitch and Jeannie Worrell for their wealth of departmental knowledge.
The Fulbright Foundation, the Freer and Sackler Galleries of Art, the Getty Research Institute,
and the Rackham Graduate School at the University of Michigan for their generous funding and
support.
Janet Upton and Nathan Keltner of the Fulbright China office in Beijing for creating a home base
in China. Nancy Micklewright, Mike Richardson, Zeynep Simavi, Keith Wilson, and Shu Yue at
the Freer and Sackler Galleries for their insights and camaraderie. Sarah Sherman for her
professionalism and aid at the Getty Research Institute. Karen Chen and Lydia Ohl for their
generosity of time and attention locating materials in the archives at the Cai Guo-Qiang Studio.
Christof Buttner, Britta Erikson, Esther Schlicht, and Reiner Kallhardt, my predecessors in the
study of Rent Collection Courtyard, for sharing their notes and research stories. Emmanuel
Schwartz at the library of the École des Beaux Arts, Elisabeth Caillet of the Association des
Amis du Musée Landowski, and independent scholar Meiyu Su in Paris, as well as the archives
of the Atelier de Henri Bouchard in Roubaix for sharing their knowledge and materials on the
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training of Chinese sculptors studying in France in the early 20 century.
Jane Debevoise, Angela Falco, Lan Hui, and Zheng Shengtian for providing the crucial initial
introductions in China.
Freda Murck and Lara Kusnetzky for educating me on the significance of antique markets.
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Christine Ho, Swa Ngwane, Anne Rebull, Patrick Wilson, and Wu Xueshan for their curiosity
and conversations that intellectually nourished me during my stay in Beijing and Sichuan.
The Sichuan Provincial Archives, Shanghai Municipal Archives, and Guangzhou Provincial
Archives for facilitating my study of their important collections.
Liu Xiaofei, Wang Guanyi, Zhao Shutong, Bao Qian, Li Qisheng, Long Dehui, Long Taicheng,
Ma Zhaolu, Ma Zhaoning, Tan Song, Ye Yushan, Zhang Fulun, and Zhang Xuli in Sichuan,
Long Xuli in Beijing, and Li Lang in Hong Kong for their old world hospitality, patience, and
generosity sharing their personal stories and views.
Feng Bin, director of the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute’s Art Museum, for his strong support that
made possible my research in Sichuan. Li Fang and Wang Wen, Feng Bin’s staff, for their quick
and kind assistance.
Cao Chunsheng and Yin Shuangxi at the Central Academy of Art for sharing their work and
experiences. Long Xiang and Ye Yu in Hangzhou at the China Academy of Art for arming me
with many books to read.
Olga Panova for her invaluable language assistance with translating the Russian names from
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Chinese. Kevin K.M. Lam for his guidance in locating materials on early 20 century urban
planning in China.
Antje Gamble, Nick Hartigan, Joseph Ho, Susan Hwang, Lehti Keelmann, Marissa Kucheck,
Linda Liu, Ashley Miller, Kam Ng, Natsu Oyobe, Eduardo Pinto, Kristin Schroeder, Wendy
Sepponen, Emily Talbot, and Anna Wieck for making Ann Arbor seem less small. Lu Li and
Michelle Wang for making D.C. seem less big.
Aida Wong for the words of advice and serendipitous Yun-fei Ji quote.
Shih-shan Susan Huang for her constant support and encouragement from the very beginning
and, with Linda Neagley, providing me with an intellectual home at the History of Art
Department at Rice University.
Mayra Ortiz for allowing me to stay at her home for spontaneous writing “residencies” in Austin.
Christine Starkman for her unwavering confidence, perceptive conversations, and unstinting
mentorship and friendship.
My family, Robert Li, Lisa Xia, and Tony Li, for reminding me of the preciousness of life
outside of academia and research.
And finally and immeasurably Vivek Rajan, for the infinite love and support.
Thank you.
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Table of Contents
Dedication…………………………………………………………………………………………ii
Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………iii
List of Figures……………………………………………………………………………………vii
Glossary of Names………..…………………………………………………………………….xvii
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………….xix
Chapter 1: Introduction……………………………………………………………………………1
Chapter 2: Sculpture Reconsidered: Art, Life, and the Space In Between………………………..9
Measuring Up to the World: Sculpture in Modern Art Discourse……………………….13
Sculpture as an Art Practice in Republican China……………………………………….27
How to Sculpt for the People…………………………………………………………….38
Chapter 3: The View from Monument to the People’s Heroes………………………………….58
Development of Public Space in Early Modern China…………………………………..61
Public Space as the People’s Space……………………………………………………...75
Chapter 4: Sculpture and the Form of Experience……………………………………………...106
Artists on the Move……………………………………………………………………..109
Live Sketch and Its Discontents………………………………………………………...117
When Secondhand Experience Becomes Primary……………………………………...126
Global Racial Revenge and the Expanded Notion of “The People”……………………130
Chapter 5: Redefining Artistic Value: Rent Collection Courtyard……………………………..144
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Collective Work Revisited……………………………………………………………...148
The People As Judge……………………………………………………………………159
The People as Mass Audience………………………………………………………….167
Popularizing the Popular………………………………………………………………..175
Chapter 6: Conclusion..……...………………………………………………………………….193
Figures……………………………………………………………………………………..........205
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………397
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List of Figures
Figure 1. Zhao Zhiqian, Seated Buddha, 1862…………………………………………………205
Figure 2. Catalogue cover of Chinese Painting Exhibition, 1933-1934 and catalogue
cover of Chinese Contemporary Painting, 1934…………………………………….....206
Figure 3. Parthenon, Athens, Greece, 432 BC………………………………………………….207
Figure 4. Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Paintings (Exposition de Peintures
Chinoises Contemporaines), Musée Cernuschi, Paris, 1946…...………………………208
Figure 5. Xu Beihong, sample sketches of plaster casts………………………………………..209
Figure 6. Group portrait of Li Jinfa, Lin Fengmian, and Lin Wenzheng, Berlin, 1922………..210
Figure 7. Wang Linyi with other students of Henri Bouchard, Paris, early 1930s……………..211
Figure 8. Henri Bouchard in his studio, early 1930s, Paris……………………………………212
Figure 9. Paul Landowski, The Phantoms, Oulchy-le-Château, 1935…………………………213
Figure 10. Hua Tianyou, Pondering (Chensi), 1943…………………………….……………..214
Figure 11. Hua Tianyou, Bombardment, Maternal Love, Chinese Boy, and installation
view of Hua Tianyou’s solo exhibition in Beijing, 1948……………...………………..215
Figure 12. Exhibition layout, International Chinese Art Exhibition, 1935-1936…………..…..216
Figure 13. Examples of sculpture exhibits, Second National Art Exhibition, 1937……………217
Figure 14. Jiang Xiaojian, Chen Qimei, Shanghai, 1928……………………………………….218
Figure 15. Li Jinfa, Huang Shaoqiang, 1936…………………………………………………...219
Figure 16. Teng Baiye, Chiang Kai-shek, 1930s……………………………………………….220
Figure 17. Liu Kaiqu, Nameless Hero, 1943…………………………………………………...221
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Figure 18. Liang Zhuting, Nameless Hero, 1934……………………………………………….222
Figure 19. Zhang Chongren, Chiang Kai-shek, 1946…………………………………………..223
Figure 20. Photo portrait of Liu Kaiqu, 1946…………………………………………………..224
Figure 21. Fu Tianchou, How to Make Sculpture, 1958………………………………………..225
Figure 22. The Great Function of Lenin’s Monument Propaganda Plan, 1952………………..226
Figure 23. Issues in Soviet Memorial Sculpture, 1954…………………………………………227
Figure 24. Nikolai Tomsky, Sergey Kirov Monument, 1937…………………………………...228
Figure 25. Sergey Kirov Monument from Issues in Soviet Memorial Sculpture………………….229
Figure 26. Vera Mukhina, Worker and Collective Farm Girl, 1937, from Issues in
Soviet Memorial Sculpture…………………………………………………………….230
Figure 27. All-Union Agricultural Exhibition Hall, 1939, from The Great Function
of Lenin’s Monument Propaganda Plan…...……………………….…………………..231
Figure 28. All-Union Agricultural Exhibition Hall, overview shot, 1939……………………...232
Figure 29. Yevgeny Vuchetich, Soviet War Memorial Treptower Park, Berlin, 1949,
from The Great Function of Lenin’s Monument Propaganda Plan….…...……………233
Figure 30. Li Shouren, Little Painter, 1955…………………………………………………….234
Figure 31. Pan He, Hard Times, 1957………………………………………………………….235
Figure 32. Ma Gaihu, Old Sheep Herder, 1958………………………………………………...236
Figure 33. Selected Sculptures of Chongqing Workers, exhibition catalogue cover, 1978…….237
Figure 34. Selected Sculptures of Chongqing Workers, making and viewing sculpture……….238
Figure 35. Selected Sculptures of Chongqing Workers, viewing sculpture…………………….239
Figure 36. Monument to the People’s Heroes, front view from the north……………………...240
Figure 37a. Ceng Zhushao, “Opium War,” Monument to the People’s Heroes………………….241
Figure 37b. Wang Bingzhao, “Jintian Uprising”……………………………………………….241
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Figure 37c. Fu Tianchou, “Wuchang Uprising”………………………………………………..242
Figure 37d. Hua Tianyou, “May Fourth Movement”…………………………………………..242
Figure 37e. Wang Linyi, “May Thirtieth Movement”………………………………………….243
Figure 37f. Xiao Chuanjiu, “Nanchang Uprising”……………………………………………...243
Figure 37g. Zhang Songhe, “Guerilla Warfare: War of Resistance Against Japan”…………...244
Figure 37h. Liu Kaiqu, “Support the Front Line, Welcome the People’s Liberation Army,
Victoriously Cross the Yangtze River, Liberate the Nation”…………………………..245
Figure 38. Monument to the People’s Heroes foundation laying ceremony…………………...246
Figure 39. Aerial view of Xinjiekou Square, 1930s, Nanjing and plan for Shanghai
administrative area according to Greater Shanghai Plan, 1929……..…………………247
Figure 40. Wang Tao, Jottings and Drawings from Carefree Travel, 1890……………………248
Figure 41. Lü Yanzhi, proposal, Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, 1925………………………………249
Figure 42. Francis H. Kales, proposal, Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, 1925………………………..250
Figure 43. Monument to the Martyrs in the Railway Protection Movement, 1913…………….251
Figure 44. “Scenes from Sichuan Province,” Young Companion, 1929………………………..252
Figure 45. Stele, Shanxi province, 520 CE……………………………………………………..253
Figure 46. Reading a Memorial Stele (Dubei tu), 14th-15th century, hanging scroll………….254
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Figure 47. Going out for a Hunt in the Mountains of Heaven, 17 century, handscroll……….255
Figure 48. Vera Mukhina, Worker and Collective Farm Girl (reproduction), 1937…………...256
Figure 49. Short proposal for Monument to the People’s Heroes……………………………...257
Figure 50. Palace pavilion with animal head spouts, Forbidden City, Beijing…………………258
Figure 51. Three gates proposal for Monument to the People’s Heroes……………………….259
Figure 52. Pavilion proposal for Monument to the People’s Heroes…………………………...260
Figure 53. Tapering building proposal for Monument to the People’s Heroes………………...261
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Figure 54. Smokestack proposal for Monument to the People’s Heroes……………………….262
Figure 55. Cube proposal for Monument to the People’s Heroes……………………………....263
Figure 56. Mario Palanti, sample building plan, Rome, 1930s.………………………………...264
Figure 57. Monument to the People’s Heroes, 1952-1958……………………………………..265
Figure 58. Initial proposals for Monument to the People’s Heroes, 1950……………………...266
Figure 59. Paying respects to the People’s Heroes, 1962……………………………….……...267
Figure 60. Tiananmen Square, demonstrators for May Thirtieth Movement, 1925……………268
Figure 61. Former views of the Tiananmen Square…………………………………………….269
Figure 62. Liang Sicheng, sketch of Monument to the People’s Heroes, 1951………………...270
Figure 63. Liang Sicheng, sketch of Monument to the People’s Heroes, 1951………………...271
Figure 64. Liang Sicheng, comparison sketch of a stele and a monument, 1951………………272
Figure 65. National Day rally on tenth anniversary of the People’s Republic, 1959…………..273
Figure 66. Tiananmen Square, demonstrators for May Thirtieth Movement, 1925……………274
Figure 67. Leaders offering flowers at the Monument to the People’s Heroes, 2014 and
Hua Tianyou sculpting the May 4th Movement relief, 1953………….………………..275
Figure 68. Marble relief of the Parthenon and Wang Bingzhao, “Jintian Uprising”…………...276
Figure 69. Offering Procession of the Empress as Donor with Her Court, 522 CE and
Wang Linyi, “May Thirtieth Movement”.…………………………………….………..277
Figure 70. Fu Tianchou, “Wuchang Uprising” and Dong Xiwen’s sketch for “Wuchang
Uprising”.……………………………………………………………………………….278
Figure 71. Wang Binzhao, “Jintian Uprising”……………………………………………….....279
Figure 72. Wang Linyi, “May Thirtieth Movement”…………………………………………...280
Figure 73. Liu Kaiqu, “Support the Front Line, Welcome the PLA”…………………………..281
Figure 74. Hu Yichuan, To the Front, 1932……………………………………………………282
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