Past scholars such James Qi He have discussed the Furen artists in a comparative context with contemporaneous Protestant Chinese visual culture. Meanwhile, Stephanie Wong has discussed their contributions towards building a unique visual identity for 20th-century Chinese Catholics, especially in urban settings. However, in terms of the religious and artistic creativity of these artists as individuals, specifically their stylistic influences and thematic ambitions, much remains unsaid. In my research, I study the artistic training these individuals received: a mixture of classical Chinese watercolor and Western oil-panting techniques. I also chronologize their works in light of larger political events surrounding them, including the Northern Expedition of the Chinese Nationalist Party in 1927, the Japanese Invasion of Chinese Manchuria in 1931, and the Second Sino-Japanese War between 1937 and 1945. I agree with past scholars that the Furen artists were instrumental in creating an indigenized Chinese Catholic visual identity, which builds upon Jesuit-Chinese artistic collaborations in the 17th century with 20th-century ideas. However, I also argue that the Furen artists, in conjunction with religious expression, used their artworks to express their hopes and sorrows regarding the many contemporaneous crises they faced as Chinese individuals. I read these paintings as more than just visual representations of their religiosity, but deeply personal prayers that responded to a turbulent period in Chinese history, one defined by both foreign aggression and internal divisions. In this sense, the Furen artists’ project of artistic indigenization represents a unique Chinese response to the crises of early 20th-century China, one grounded not in communist nor nationalist ideology, but in Catholicism.
This poster will feature a brief introduction that will discuss the historical settings of China during the early 20th century and the history of Chinese Catholic artworks, in order to contextualize the Furen artists. In addition, I will include a brief conclusion that will include my citations, a summary of my argument, and a link to the digital archive where I acquired these artworks. The remainder of the poster will feature six paintings. Four from the Furen School, depicting the works of three artists across the period of the second Sino-Japanese War. Alongside the paintings, I will include a brief two-sentence biography of each artist under their respective painting. I will also include one Jesuit-Chinese artwork from the 17th century, to illustrate the inspiration for the Furen artists, and a Yuan Dynasty watercolor painting that shows their watercolor influence. I aim to have less than 500 words on my poster.