A Study Of The Relationship Between Xu Beihong And Wu Zuoren

This article analyses and researches the relationship between Xu Beihong and Wu Zuoren from the late Qing dynasty to early founding of the People’s Republic of China. Xu and Wu are both well-known artists and educators in China. The author, in this paper, makes a precise and detailed description about their relationship from the perspective of social history of art into chronological order. The description and analysis will help readers get a deeper understanding that they appeal to minds and know each other very well.Xu Beihong and Wu Zuoren had known each other for twenty-six years and there were many social intercourses between each other in their lives. Their association form began from the teachers and students relationship when Xu Beihong led Wu Zuoren to build his own aesthetic and value concepts. This was also a growth process and an evolution through time and events and they gradually built their multiple relations forms. As they shared the same philosophy and education idea of art, Xu Beihong promoted Wu Zuoren become his colleague with open arms when they were teaching at the Central University in Nanjing and the principal of Peiping Art School. Especially in the period of the principal of Peiping Art School, the relationship between Xu and Wu became closer. Being the dean of studies, Wu Zuoren actually acted as the executor carrying out Xu Beihong’s educational concept and he made a great difference on promoting the realistic teaching way. After the death of Xu Beihong, Wu Zuoren become a leader in CAFA, holding territory of the realistic art teaching. From some kind of degree, Wu Zuoren was the core who stablishes the "Xu Beihong School".Xu Beihong and Wu Zuoren had been involved widely in artistic creation, teaching career, private life and political aspects. Analysis despite of any aspect of their relationship is considered to be one-sided. This paper is aimed to induct the questions and discover their relationship in different time. The writer struggles to research and make a clear explanation, which needs to jump out from the simple teacher-student relationship, about the changes between their relation in different periods as well as their viewpoints interaction.