Master Painter Xu Shi Shan駿馬畫師許世山

Official Profile of the Artist:

Born in 1943 in Dalian, Mr. Xu Shishan ventured into the traditional Chinese painting while pursuing a rather distinguished career as an award-winning engineer specialized in naval fracture mechanics for more than 30 years. Due to his solid artistic foundation and exposure to a wide variety of themes and topics, Mr Xu’s career as a fine artist has come into full blossom in the last two decade. His paintings of human figures, faun and fauna are known for their vivid details and artistic rendition. He is also a well-established artist for calligraphy, seal-making and poetry. But above all he has firmly established himself as the leading Chinese painter for horses. With craggy sinews, galloping hooves and long flying locks along the neck, Master Xu’s horse is extremely striking with unique personality, abundant energy and free spirit.

Among the various awards and titles he has won, the following are worth mentioning:
- National Class A Fine Artist in China
- One of the ten founding Fellows of the Fine Arts Research Division under the Central Cultural and Archival Institute
- Member of All-China Culture & Arts Advancement Committee
- Honorary President of the Oriental Arts Research Institute

His most accomplished works include:
- Galloping Hooves: winner of the Distinguished Award at the 4th Holy Sword Exhibition in 1992.
- Dragons on the Desert: Bronze Medal at Beijing 2000 Olympic National Art Exhbition.
- Six Steeds: Distinguished Award at the Chinese Painting Exhibition in celebration of the Hong Kong Turnover in 1997.
- Scarlet Clouds: First Prize at the National Exhibition of Refined Small-size Paintings in 2001.
- Heavenly Horse & Dragon Steed: First Prize at the National Horse Painting Exhibit.

Master Xu and his works have been featured in the following publications:
- Chinese Fine Arts Tribune
- Chinese Cultural Post
- Chinese Commerce Daily
- Shandong Pictorial
- Masters of Chinese Painting
- Chinese Faun and Fauna Painting Research
- Dictionary of Modern Chinese Calligraphers and Painters
- Recommended Who Is Who in Chinese Calligraphy and Painting

My Personal Encounter

My meeting with Mr. Xushishan took place in 2006 in Hangzhou. With a pipe in one hand and a baseball cap on his head, he came across as someone with distinguished artistic flair and deep creative reserve. He demonstrated his painting skills for Alex and Fiamma, my visiting Swiss friends and my family in his studio. In the end he generously presented some of his demonstration works as souvenirs to us.

Knowing that I was born in the year of Rooster, he specifically created a new piece entitled “Five Virtues of the Rooster” and kindly inscribed it as a special gift to me. In addition, he made me a special gift which had earlier captured my attention.

Feeling ever so indebted to the master, I promoted his paintings among my western friends. So in the summer of 2007, I hosted the Vanderhoeven family on a study tour in Hangzhou. They also fell in love with Master Xu and his paintings. In the end, the family commissioned Mr. Xu for 4 horse paintings. To help to facilitate the deal, I even put down the entire payment first for my Dutch friends. For the first time I have become an "art dealer" and my only reward was paying back in my small way the kindness which had been accorded me earlier.