Lion Of The Lion

The “Lion” created in 1914 is a representative work of Ningxiang He’s early painting art, which has gained extensive attention of scholars. “Lion” is a masterpiece that shows spirit of times between late Qing dynasty to the republican period. Firstly, the painting absorbs western perspective illustration, which is worth all attention. Secondly, the awareness of ethnic consciousness in specific period is established typically in the artwork of female artists in Republican period. Unfortunately, “Lion” fails to receive concerns it deserves among academic scholars. In this article, the two key points above will be illustrated and explained. At the beginning of Republican period, the society had been experiencing a huge transformation since China involved into a feudal autocracy in Qin dynasty. To eliminate feudal autocracy and step into republicanism is the essence of the change. When enfeebled China is awakening in such a dynamic period, ethic patriots arise and explored. At that moment, “Lion” occurred. The character of Lion means merciful animal in Chinese traditional thinking. “Lion” perfectly combines “mercy” and bestiality. The performance of traditional Chinese painting realistic skills and the application of western perspective painting skills represent the thoughts of “Lion”, which demonstrates essence of arts. At the same time, being a magnum opus of awareness of ethic spirits, “Lion” also represents female artists in the special Republican period. Since republican females has been long oppressed at the bottom of the society in a thousand year’s history and Chinese females are forced to survive under huge stress, society’s acceptance of “female republican” is the favor of the general public, which is also the sound of all females at the beginning of republican period. In such a special time, female artist Ningxiang He establishes national and ethic awareness in her masterpiece “Lion” and what “Lion” means in history, in art history and at the age of the beginning of republican periods is of great importance in this paper.