Wu Zuoren (1908-1997) was a famous painter and art educator in modern China, celebrated for his unique artistic style that fused Eastern and Western elements, as well as his exploration of the nationalization of Chinese realistic oil paintings. Based on the study of Wu Zuoren’s painting practice, this article discusses how he incorporated traditional Chinese cultural elements into his realistic oil painting creations and realized the nationalized expression of oil painting. The article also analyzes Wu Zuoren’s innovative practices in painting color, composition, technique, etc., and discusses his significant influence in the history of modern Chinese art. It is found that Wu Zuoren not only inherited the realistic techniques of the West, but also explored them in his artistic practice, combining the spirit of Chinese culture with the Western painting techniques, and created a realistic oil painting style with distinctive national characteristics. It is hoped that the simple analysis and discussion in this article can provide appropriate reference for the post-researchers.

Wu Zuoren;Realistic oil painting, Nationalization;Art education;Fusion of East and West

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DOI： https://doi.org/10.62639/sspjiess10.20240103

Published： 2024