On September 13, the Renwen Society at China Institute will present an exceptional lecture, Carving Time, Painting Life: The Enduring Legacy of Wu Changshuo. The speaker, Mr. Wu Yue, is the great-grandson of Wu Changshuo and Executive Director of the Shanghai Wu Changshuo Museum. As both a descendant and a dedicated researcher, Mr. Wu will share the legendary life story and enduring achievements of this all-round master of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seal carving.
Wu Changshuo (1844–1927) lived through times of war and hardship yet remained steadfast in his artistic pursuit. Born into a scholarly family in Anji, Zhejiang, he excelled in poetry, literature, and seal carving from a young age. After the devastation of the Taiping Rebellion forced him into years of displacement, he supported himself through seal carving while immersing himself in the study of ancient inscriptions. Settling in Suzhou and later Shanghai in midlife, he brought his art to full bloom—his seal script was monumental and vigorous, his seal carving founded a new school, and his paintings, infused with the force of calligraphy and the color boldness of folk and Western art, forged the distinctive, powerful, and archaic “Wu style.” His poetry, heartfelt and robust, intertwined seamlessly with his visual art.
As the leader of the “Later Shanghai School” and the first president of the Xiling Seal Art Society, Wu espoused the aesthetic ideals of “weight, simplicity, and grandeur,” infusing his work with the essence of stone and bronze inscriptions. His influence spanned generations, shaping artists such as Qi Baishi, Pan Tianshou, Chen Shizeng, Sha Menghai, and Liu Haisu. Beyond his art, Wu embodied patriotism and social responsibility—serving in military resistance against foreign invasion, fundraising for disaster relief, supporting the 1911 Revolution, founding schools, and preserving cultural relics.
In this lecture, Mr. Wu Yue will draw upon rare historical materials, artworks, and family stories to illuminate Wu Changshuo’s journey from a struggling youth to a revered artistic leader. Attendees will gain insight into the origins of his distinctive style, his historical significance, and the vitality and moral force that underpin his art. This event offers not only a deeper understanding of a towering figure in modern Chinese art but also a rare opportunity for a cross-century cultural encounter.
美国时间9月13日晚上8时至9时半（北京时间9月14日上午8时至9时半），华美人文学会将迎来一场艺术盛宴——《金石融情——吴昌硕的艺术人生》。本次讲座的主讲人为中国近代艺术巨匠吴昌硕的曾孙、上海吴昌硕纪念馆执行馆长吴越先生。作为家族后人，吴越先生不仅继承了吴昌硕艺术精神的薪火，更以研究者与讲述者的双重身份，将为观众呈现这位“诗、书、画、印”四绝全能大师的传奇人生与不朽成就。
吴昌硕（1844—1927）一生历经战乱与漂泊，却始终胸怀艺途。他出身浙江安吉书香世家，幼承家学，少时即擅诗文篆刻。太平天国战火使其家园破碎，流亡岁月中，他以刻印为生，潜心研习金石碑版。中年定居苏州、上海后，他的艺术全面开花，篆书高古雄浑，篆刻开宗立派，绘画融金石笔意与鲜明色彩，形成雄强、厚重、古拙的“吴派”风格；诗文则直抒胸臆，与书画印交相辉映。他提出“画气不画形”“直从书法演画法”，一扫清末画坛柔靡之风，将文人画推向雄浑境界。
作为后海派”领袖与西泠印社首任社长**，吴昌硕以“重、拙、大”的审美理念，将金石气息注入绘画、书法与篆刻，影响了齐白石、潘天寿、陈师曾、沙孟海、刘海粟等一代又一代艺术家。黄宾虹曾评价他“一代精神属花草，几家笔墨出金石”，道尽其艺术之神髓。
在战争期间，吴昌硕爱国报国，投笔从戎，随时任湖南巡抚的吴大澂北上抗日。他曾写诗悼念丁汝昌：“海军未复谁雪耻？愤失海权蹈海死。呜呼吾国多烈士，精卫衔石沧溟填。”他还曾牵头创办豫园书画善会，主持抢救“汉三老碑”，声援“五卅运动”，绘《流民图》义卖赈灾，并积极参与到支持辛亥革命，创办浦东中学，义卖筹款建造东方医院和扶赈五省受灾难民等多种活动之中，充分展现了艺术家的社会担当。
在本次讲座中，吴越先生将以大量珍贵史料、艺术作品与家族记忆，生动还原吴昌硕从困顿青年到艺坛宗师的奋斗历程，剖析其艺术风格的独特成因与历史地位。听众不仅将领略吴昌硕笔墨刀痕中蕴含的金石韵味，更能体会他以生命力与人格魅力支撑的艺术世界。这是一场跨越百年的文化对话，更是一次走近中国近代艺术巅峰的难得机会。
