Finger Painting of Lotus

Artists

Description

The watery black splotches, diluted ink dots, and combination of wet and dry lines that make up this composition provide only a subtle suggestion of the artist’s intended subject. The broad forms at upper right appear to be lotus leaves, but the other elements escape immediate recognition. A notation following the artist’s signature identifies the work as a finger painting. Practitioners of the technique often claim that it offers a more direct means of self-expression. The Chinese tradition of applying ink to paper with the fingers or fingernails instead of a brush is said to date back as far as the Tang dynasty (618–907), demonstrating that innovative techniques in Chinese painting are not strictly modern. Zhang Lichen, a professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, is known for his elegant and vigorous flower and bamboo paintings. In this work he achieves an expressive, abstract quality. The impression of movement and the absence of color evoke the aesthetic of calligraphy.

Dimensions

painting proper: 68 x 42.6 cm (26 3/4 x 16 3/4 in.) full mounting: 182.5 x 57.7 cm (71 7/8 x 22 11/16 in.)

Provenance

Artist Zhang Lichen (after 1973), gift; to Chu-tsing Li, Lawrence, Kansas (by 2007-2012), gift; to his son B U.K. Li, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2012-2018), gift; to Harvard Art Museums, 2018. Footnotes: 1. Dr. Chu-tsing Li (1920-2014) 2. On loan to Harvard Art Museums from 2008 to acquisition