An Analysis of Tang Yunyu Leading to the Portrait Creation

Abstract

Objectives: Tang Yunyu was a female artist who was very important in the history of Chinese art. Her works hold substantial significance for the study and development of Chinese art history. Her paintings are as powerful and strong as those painted by male artists, distinguishing her from other female painters of the People's Republic of China. She is thus a female artist deserving of having her works studied. This research aimed to examine the distinctive characteristics of Tang Yunyu's artistic expression and its application in portrait creation. Additionally, the study aimed to learn the cause and effect relationships of her painting styles used in portrait drawing, and how she used points, lines, colors, forms, shapes, and textures in her portrait drawings.

Methods: This research employed the methods of portrait analysis, comparative study, and literary composition to compare Tang Yunyu's works across her early, middle, and late periods from various perspectives. The study process was divided into three phases: the initial phase involved a preliminary review of the documents and literature related to Tang Yunyu; the second phase included field research in Shanghai to explore the lifestyle factors that influenced her artistic production; and the final phase entailed an in-depth analysis of 36 collected works. These works were systematically analyzed, compared, and then the results are summarized within the framework established for this study.

Results: The study results found that 1. Tang Yunyu is a representative of general middle-class women, characterized by her prestigious family background, extensive overseas education, a happy marriage with a husband and overseas settlement. By examining these details, her personal creative characteristics in different periods can be identified and divided into three stages: first, the preliminary understanding of Western oil painting in China and extensive learning in Japan; secondly, self-discipline for learning and developing painting skill in European museums; and the last period of life. Though she settled down in America, she still loved her homeland. 2. From analyzing the relationship between Tang Yunyu's artistic journey and the historical context, this leads to an understanding of her artistic style's influence on Chinese culture and art. It also reflects the consciousness of middle-class people during the Republic of China era. 3. Tang Yunyu’s paintings play a vital role in oil painting education.

Application of this study: This study indicates that Tang Yunyu's works require better maintenance and restoration to enable a more thorough study and analysis of the original points, lines, colors, shapes, forms, textures, and proportion. The collection of materials used in painting should focus more on resources from the same period in the Republic of China. The research relies primarily on the high-definition images of Tang Yunyu's works, but more tracking and collection of her original pieces are necessary. Furthermore, the principles employed in the study of Tang Yunyu's works can serve as a valuable framework for analyzing the artistic works of other artists in the People's Republic of China.