Historical Information in Self-Portraits—New Discoveries about Li Shutong’s Oil Self-Portrait

The self-portrait is a unique genre in world art history, with a history spanning millennia in the West. Since the Renaissance, fueled by humanist focus on the individual and the rising social status of artists, the history of self-portraiture truly began. Self-portraits are not only images through which artists express themselves, participate in social progress, and embody their own aspirations and responsibilities, but also a means for artists to experiment with technique and explore their inner world. Self-portraits reveal the diverse faces, historical details, and states of mind of different artists, making the study of self-portraits a unique thread for viewing art history.

Li Shutong is a pivotal figure in the development of modern Chinese art. However, due to historical reasons, very few of his art works survive, making related research challenging. Fortunately, the discovery in recent decades of his oil painting Self-Portrait (held by the Tokyo University of the Arts Art Museum) and Semi-Nude Female Figure (held by the CAFA Art Museum) caused a sensation, making the study of Li Shutong’s oil painting art possible.

In March 2013, the original Self-Portrait traveled from Japan to China and was exhibited alongside his other representative oil painting Semi-Nude Female Figure from the CAFA Art Museum in the exhibition “Fragrant Grass, Long Pavilion: Li Shutong Oil Painting Research Exhibition.” This precious display opportunity allowed researchers to examine the Self-Portrait firsthand. The research yielded new discoveries regarding Li Shutong’s unique creative methods and painting content, advancing our understanding of his artistic philosophy and oil painting art. This lecture, led by researcher Li Yaochen, will guide the audience in unraveling the historical messages behind Li Shutong’s oil painting Self-Portrait.