This is an exhibition titled“Confluence and Tracing,” held from March 30, 2024, to July 7, 2024, at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taichung City. The exhibition showcases masterpieces by early Taiwanese painters. I was fortunate to view this exhibition before it ended. Here, I want to introduce the traditional Japanese-style paintings of two painters who lived through the Japanese colonial period: Lin Chih-Chu and Chen Ching-Hui.
Gouache painting, also known as color painting, mineral painting, Japanese painting, or Eastern painting, is a type of painting that uses glue as a medium, mixed with natural mineral powder and water, applied to paper with a brush, as well as silk, hemp, or wooden boards.
Lin Chih-Chu (1917-2008) was from Daya,Taichung (now Daya District, Taichung City). He was a famous Taiwanese painter, honored as the “Father of Taiwanese Gouache Painting.” One of Lin’s representative works is “Morning Cool,” completed in 1940. At the time, he was newly married but away from home. He painted his wife in the morning mist, with sunlight gradually penetrating the courtyard. He depicted his wife gazing at a pair of sheep, expressing his longing for her despite their separation.
Another work, “Lady,” is a gouache painting by Taiwanese painter Chen Ching-Hui (1911-1968), completed around 1930. The colors used in “Lady” are particularly special. The black clothing emits a layered glow, highlighting the hairstyle, and the flowers in her hand blend seamlessly with the patterns on her clothes. As for “The Score,” the floral
dress in the painting reflects the fashion of the time, with a simpler composition, showcasing Chen Ching-Hui’s artistic style.
Most early Taiwanese Western-style painters studied Western painting in Japan. They completely followed the trends of the Japanese art world and drew inspiration from it. Thanks to their pioneering efforts, subsequent Taiwanese painters were able to develop a local style. Personally, I am very fond of works with simple compositions and elegant styles.
