Xue Foying, with a wide word, was born in Wuxi County on November 5th in the 31st year of Guangxu (1905). Grandfather Xue was a scholar in the late Qing Dynasty and was good at poetry creation. Father Xue Shuheng is a famous local Chinese medicine practitioner. He opened a pharmacy in Dadetang, practicing medicine and trading medicinal materials. Xue Foying was influenced by family studies when he was a child. Father wants him to inherit his career, teach him to read medical books, and let him recite medical prescriptions. But his interest is not here. He likes stone paintings and calligraphy. There is a snow pool dolphin, which belongs to my nephew's generation. He studied seal cutting calligraphy and painting. Under his influence, Xue Foying embarked on the road of carving art. When he was 18 years old, Wuxi held a domestic product exhibition. Xue Foying presented a bamboo carving fan bone to the exhibition, which was well received by the audience and awarded a special prize. As a beginner in art, he was more interested in seal cutting, so he formally bid farewell to Huang Zhi art and stepped into the garden of art. ..
In the 14th year of the Republic of China (1925), Xue Foying came to Shanghai alone with his works. His works were appreciated by Wang, who served as Secretary-General of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. At that time, Wang was setting up Zhengfeng College of Literature in Shanghai and hired him as academic director and seal cutting teacher. Zhengfeng College of Literature has gathered famous scholars such as Lv Simian and Zhu Xiangwan. Under their influence, Xue Foying's knowledge and fear increased. At the same time, he followed the times of famous painters, epigraphists and Zhao Shuru, and made rapid progress in art. In the sixteenth year of the Republic of China (1927), by chance, Xue Foying saw an ivory seal engraved with exquisite and melancholy paintings at his friend's house, and his friend introduced him to the work of a sculptor in Beiping. Xue Foying's repeated observation aroused his interest in tooth carving. He thinks that hard and clean ivory can express the charm of carving art better than bamboo and jade. From then on, he began his career in ivory micro-carving.
In the Republic of China 19 (1930), Xue Foying got a crystal, and he polished it into a screen with a width of 2.5 cm and a width of 1.5 cm, intending to engrave the famous sentence "Luo Shen Fu" of Zijian on it. The full text of Luo Shen Fu is more than 1000 words, and each word must be carved smaller than an ant's foot to accommodate it. The crystal is hard. This is a very arduous art project. But he is determined to add one or two rare treasures to the world and add some dazzling brilliance to the national art palace. He tried to engrave on other crystals first, but before he could engrave a few words, he felt his fingers ache. I know that if you want to play with a knife on such a high-hardness crystal, you must have strong wrist strength. He learned massage from his father when he was a child. When he first started learning, he had to grasp an object with a certain volume and weight with three fingers. Continuous movement, he imitated this method, holding the big glass for more than half an hour. Gradually increase the weight at the back. After three years of hard training, I have been able to grasp more than 30 kilograms with three fingers. At the same time, he studied painting, calligraphy and literature to improve his artistic accomplishment. Finally, playing with a knife in the crystal can be just right, and the picture composed of smooth lines is full of charm and puzzling.
After the outbreak of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Xue Foying's creation was also intermittent. In the social environment where art is desecrated, sometimes an artistic treasure he painstakingly manages cannot get enough food for the whole family.
The long-awaited victory of the Anti-Japanese War did not make Xue Foying, who lives in Shili Ocean Farm, regain his artistic sails. The burden of life forced him to work as a clerk in an oil factory. Although he never put down his meat cleaver, after all, he can only create in his limited spare time, with little gain.
1949 After the liberation of Shanghai in May, Xue Foying was employed by the Shanghai Handicraft Bureau, participated in the establishment of the Shanghai Academy of Arts and Crafts, and was hired as a fine carving craftsman in the institute. Later, he was elected as a member of CPPCC Shanghai Committee. At this time, although he was nearly half a century old, his creative energy was extremely strong. He completed the crystal screen illustration of The Goddess of Luo, which is a rare masterpiece that has been created intermittently for nearly twenty years. Then, he created the red liberation map of Zheng Chenggong carved in ivory. He is full of passion, and with his own blade of freedom, he reproduces the grand war scene of this national hero in resisting foreign invasion and recovering the treasure island of the motherland. On a piece of ivory the size of a cigarette case, there are many warships engraved in the rough waves, towering castles stand on the distant coast, and the national flags of the warring parties are in disorder. The image of national hero Zheng Chenggong is heroic under the magnifying glass. When he brought this new work to the CPPCC meeting in Shanghai, CPPCC members praised it as a magical work, and the famous painter Feng Zikai praised it even more.
At this time, Xue Foying's artistic creation entered its heyday, and under his meat cleaver, he launched one new work after another. 1956, he carved a red mosaic of Taiwan Province Province liberated by Zheng Chenggong and two other ivory fragments. Dedicated to the Central Committee to express his deep affection. 165438+1October 26th, the General Office of the Central Committee of the CPC wrote to him and spoke highly of his three tooth carvings, saying that they have high artistic value and reflect the fine tradition of arts and crafts in China.
From 65438 to 0957, Xue Foying attended the Council of Old Artists of Arts and Crafts held in Beijing, and President Zhu De specially invited him to sit in the first row of the meeting. Embarrassed, he offered his seat to the old man again and again. Chairman Zhu De smiled and said to him: We should discuss the artistic level. It can be seen that Chairman Zhu De attaches great importance to his micro-carving art. ..
In 1950s, Xue Foying's micro-carving art became more and more exquisite. Feng Zikai specially wrote an introduction: Xue Foying is good at carving and enjoys a good reputation at home and abroad. He was good at carving bamboo at first, then he carved teeth, even jade, and did everything. The most exquisite thing is to carve the right army post on an ivory grain the size of a grain of rice, and carve the full text of the Preface to the Imperial Court in half an inch square, so as to get a glimpse of it with a microscope. He is also a genius in the literary and art circles.
Xue Foying wields a sword on bamboo, wood, brick, ivory, jade, porcelain, crystal and delicate jade. It's all at hand. Calligraphy, flowers and birds, landscapes, figures and so on can all be original and artistic. 1957 During the meeting in Beijing, when he visited the Forbidden City, he copied the December calendar of the Forbidden City, Duanyang Race. After returning to Shanghai, he reappeared the vivid picture of dragon boat race on the water and the surging crowds on the shore. Under the microscope, not only the characters are lifelike, but also the costumes and appliances are lifelike. The other side is also engraved with the full text of Chu Ci.
During the Cultural Revolution, Xue Foying, like all artists, suffered great physical and mental destruction. It was not until after the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee that Xue Foying, who was over 70 years old, regained his artistic life. Knowing that the future is short, he works hard every day. 1In August, 1980, a delegation from the news department of ABC TV in the United States visited Xue Foying in Shanghai with the permission of the relevant domestic departments, and filmed Xue Foying's carefully carved art feature films and introduced them to foreign countries for appreciation.
1986 During Queen Elizabeth II's visit to China in Shanghai, the Shanghai Municipal Government presented the distinguished guest with the ivory sculpture of Yuyuan Garden created by Xue Foying. The queen is very happy.
In June165438+1October 65438+July this year, Xue Foying was awarded the honorary title of "Master of Arts and Crafts in China".
Xue Foying's fine carving art spread like wildfire and became famous at home and abroad. There is an endless stream of visitors from abroad. 1987, a Japanese friendly person, Kuji Tianhe, visited Xue Foying's fine carving art in Shanghai and repeatedly mobilized him to hold a solo exhibition in Japan. The 83-year-old Xue Foying and his son Xue Wanzhu brought nearly 100 micro-sculptures, paintings and calligraphy works to Japan for exhibition on May 1988, which was well received by the Japanese people, and was reported in detail by Japanese TV stations and many newspapers. When Xue Foying carved 300% Ning's "Multiple Hearts Sutra" on a piece of gold in front of the audience, it caused a sensation in Kobe. Some Japanese collectors are willing to pay a large price for some of Xue Foying's works, but Xue Foying politely declined. His behavior was especially respected and praised by Japanese friendly people.
Xue Foying devoted his life to the art of micro-carving, and achieved great success. Calligraphers praised it as unprecedented and unprecedented. Zheng believes that the latecomers are too late, but it is a conclusion that there is no one before. His treasures handed down from ancient times include "Luo Shen Fu Wang Teng Ting Tu", "Yueyang Tower Tu" and "Lingbao Fa Hui". Unfortunately, his artistic experience accumulated in long-term artistic practice has not been systematically recorded, but only left a few words in his usual conversation. For example, in a conversation, he said: Fine carving is arts and crafts. First, we must master the skills, that is, we must master how to use a knife, and we must learn to use oblique knives, flat knives and round knives. The round knife rotates flexibly, which can make the lines smooth, but it is difficult to master. Second, to pay attention to art, fine lettering first needs a sketch layout. Learn it by heart and then do it. Sculpture pays attention to rules, just like writing a book with a brush, it is made one knife at a time. Description emphasizes the similarity of form and spirit, just like painting with brush strokes, meticulous brushwork is mostly similar in shape, and freehand brushwork is mostly similar in spirit. However, it is difficult to express the meaning in a freehand way, and it is interesting to master the rough brush engraving method. Xue Foying also said that finger carving can exercise; When you are careful, you must be calm. Only when you are calm can you concentrate. Carving must have bright eyes, be able to observe autumn, and be carved with heart, eyes and hands.
1On August 4th, 988, Xue Foying died in Shanghai at the age of 83.
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