ILLUSTRATED:

In his paintings, Lin Fengmian's most typical feature is bold application of color with outstanding creativity. In order to intensify expressiveness of the works, he innovatively made use of ink, water-powder and watercolor, alternately and compositively so as to produce the mellow and strong, rich and variable effect. Color of Chinese painting is mostly thin and pale, far less as strong as that in water-powder, which is thick and strong. Lin Fengmian gave a harmonious combination of ink and heavy-tune color, making the painting massive and concise at the same time, full of sense of rhythm. On composition, Lin Fengmian is also distinctive and full of innovation, with high formal aesthetic feelings. He intended to go apart from the traditional way. His painting emphasizes overall composition and decorativeness. He absorbed merits of Western artists, Matisse and Cézanne, whose shadow is obviously contained in many of his paintings of still lives.

Works of still lives are Lin Fengmian's most favorite topic in his heyday of creation. It symbolizes extension of the artist's early exploration into form and structure. In his works "Still Life", pears with very simple composition and color change as well as the fruit tray with a little geometric shape are placed in serene and peaceful background, presenting an endless aesthetic enjoyment. Lin Fengmian created the works at the beginning of 1980's. In the painting we can find that the painter stopped pursuing geomet r ic divi s ion, but paid mor e attention to intuitive impression. He took color application and stroke depiction as a main language of expression. In the works, yellow is placed at the center of the paining in the deep and tranquil grey background, showing Lin's elegant aesthetic disposition. Contrast of cold and warm hues, on the painting, has attained dainty, subtle and perfect harmony. In slightly aloofness, the painter artfully integrated languages of Chinese and western paintings and enriched the viewer's aesthetic sense, meanwhile, was a mirror to Lin Fengmian's high-flying and self-assumed personality also.