Moon over a Village

Gift of the Jack Anderson Collection

This painting features a small riverside village nearly overwhelmed by towering bamboo behind which a large moon is rising. What is innovative about this composition? First, night scenes are relatively rare in Chinese painting as they require a reversal of the usual technique; most of the painting surface must be covered with rich bluish ink and the details of the scene painted in lighter colors or indicated by areas of untouched paper. Also, this is clearly an exotic scene; the towering bamboo and the architectural style indicate a location somewhere in far southern China. Zhang Bu is known for his dramatic use of color and for dynamic compositions.

Born in Hebei province in 1934, Zhang studied painting at the Central Academy of Fine Art in Beijing with Li Keran. Li was trained in Europe and was among the artists active in China during his generation who attempted to combine elements of Western painting with those of traditional Chinese. His influence on Zhang BuÆs work is seen in the use of light, shading, and many other elements. Zhang has traveled throughout China; one of his favorite types of scenes is that of a small provincial village protected by a large tree or a clump of bamboo.