Lotus c. early 20th century

Qi Baishi painted "Lotus" using ink and color on paper, mounted on a fan. Baishi lived through the collapse of the Qing Dynasty, the Warlord period, the Second Sino-Japanese War, and the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. As a visual artist he was a poet too, writing of himself: “I do not want to be a docile artist… I want my own way to vent the felling in my heart”. His feelings are very present in this work, where the lotus and its leaves fill the fan’s surface. The lotus is an important symbol in Chinese culture, representing purity, peace, and rebirth. The red of the lotus against the muted greys has an intense effect on the eye. Qi Baishi subverts traditional representations of the lotus flower, making it expressive of his emotions in a rapidly changing world. The lotus becomes more than just a flower, it reflects the artist's inner life and search for balance amidst upheaval.