In the treasure house of Chinese art, the painted sculpture has become a wonderful flower of folk art with its unique three-dimensional shape and vivid color. Among them, Tianjin's "Clay Man Zhang" and Wuxi's Huishan Clay Man, with their profound cultural heritage and exquisite craftsmanship, are known as the two pearls of color sculpture art.
The genre of "Clay Man Zhang" began in the late Qing Dynasty, and the founder, Mr. Zhang Mingshan, used the clay in his hands to create a colorful world. Zhang Mingshan has been learning clay figurines from his father since he was a child, and his family's poverty makes him cherish every opportunity to come into contact with clay even more. He often observed various characters in the bazaars and theaters, captured their expressions and movements, and then secretly made them in his cuffs. The soil seemed to come to life in his hands and became alive.
Zhang Mingshan's works are known for their delicate realism. He pays attention to the demeanor and emotional expression of the characters, and shows the inner world of the characters through subtle body language and facial expressions. In his works, there are both majestic emperors and generals, as well as cute children, women and children, and each character is lifelike, as if he will come out of the dirt at any moment.
In addition to his exquisite skills, Zhang Mingshan is also good at drawing nourishment from art forms such as painting, opera, and folk woodblock prints, and constantly enriching his artistic language. His works not only have high artistic value, but also contain profound historical and cultural connotations.
Different from the realistic style of "Clay Figurine", Wuxi's Huishan Clay Figurines impress with their exaggerated shapes and bright colors. The history of Huishan Niren can be traced back to distant antiquity, and the specific time is impossible to verify. Here, almost every household will make clay figurines during the slack season, which is not only an income for the farmers, but also a kind of cultural sustenance for them.
The production process of Huishan clay figurines is very particular. The artists first selected high-quality clay, and after repeated kneading, beating and carving, they created a variety of vivid characters. They pay attention to detail, whether it is the texture of the garment, the delicacy of the hair or the portrayal of facial expressions. In terms of the use of color, Huishan clay people are painted in bright primary colors, with strong contrast and harmony.
In addition to the production skills, the themes of Huishan clay figures are also extremely rich. There are characters taken from operas, myths, and folk tales, as well as momentary captures that reflect real-life scenes. These works not only convey the artist's love for life and pursuit of beauty, but also convey their emotions and ideals.
Whether it is the delicate realism of "Clay Man Zhang" or the exaggerated vividness of Huishan Clay Man, it reflects the deep insight and artistic creativity of folk artists into life. They use clay to create images full of vitality, inheriting the cultural genes and spiritual characteristics of the Chinese nation.
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In the context of today's globalization, "Clay Man Zhang" and Huishan Clay Man have become important envoys of cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries. They not only allow people to appreciate the unique charm of Chinese folk art, but also promote the exchange and integration between different cultures. Let us look forward to the future development of these two schools of color sculpture and continue to make greater contributions to the inheritance and development of Chinese folk art!