The creation and collection trend of oil painting in the period of republic of China

Abstract

The Republican period (1912–1949) was the "golden age" for the development of Chinese oil painting, marking its true academic inception. This paper takes oil painting creations from the Republican period as the research subject, systematically analyzing the historical background, practical context, representative painters, and their aesthetic styles of that time. It particularly focuses on the current status and market trends of the collection market for works by Republican-era oil painters such as Xu Beihong, Lin Fengmian, Yan Wenliang, and Liu Haisu. Research indicates that oil painting during the Republican period integrated Chinese and Western cultural elements, forming a nationalized artistic aesthetic value orientation dominated by realism. This period holds a milestone significance in the history of Chinese oil painting, connecting the past with the future. From a market perspective, Republican-era oil painting has become a focal point in the art market, with Xu Beihong's works serving as the "blue-chip stocks" of the oil painting market, repeatedly setting auction records. As China's economy develops and the local collector base becomes more professional and systematic, the collection market for Republican-era oil painting shows promising development prospects and significant appreciation potential. This paper aims to provide a valuable reference for the study of aesthetic appreciation and market collection of oil painting creations from the Republican period.