The creativity of Liu Haisu (1896–1994), a chinese painting classic, as an example of synthesis between gohua painting and western european art

Guohua, classical Chinese painting, has not lost its significance and is part of the modern art of the PRC. Liu Haisu, a Chinese artist and teacher, combined the laws of guohua and European art in his work. Basing on these principles, he sought to reform art education in China. He is considered one of the iconic figures in the history of the fine arts of the Celestial Empire, but his personality is little known in Russian art history. This paper focuses on the creativity pathway of Liu Haisu, the outcome of which was return to mainstream traditional Chinese guohua painting. It is the first work that systematizes and introduces to the research community foreign publications about Liu Haisu, which are practically unknown in Russia. Studying these sources makes it possible to understand what principles the modern art of the PRC is based on, the genesis of which is analyzed from the standpoint of Liu Haisu’s career as a painter. The paper explores the painter’s creativity heritage, representing a synthesis between Eastern and Western approaches to fine arts.