Imitation and Originality: A Research Exhibition of Sketches and Draft Paintings by Pu Xinyu held by Prince Kung’s Palace Museum closed on July 21. During the exhibition, the museum’s Education and Communication Department, in collaboration with the Exhibition Department, developed and organized a curriculum to enhance the experience of student visitors.
As the first thematic educational program independently developed, designed and held by the museum to complement an exhibition, it not only showcased the remarkable artistic achievements of Puru (1896-1963, also known as Pu Xinyu) from the Aisin Gioro clan, but also provided young participants with a valuable opportunity to engage closely with traditional Chinese culture and arts through a series of workshops. These workshops also gave the juveniles the opportunity to explore Puru’s artistic world in depth.
A total of ten sessions were divided into three categories—Workshop of Fine Arts, Workshop of Calligraphy, and Workshop of Fun. Each session was linked to classic works by Puru displayed in the exhibition, combining theoretical instruction with practical creation, thereby enhancing the children's artistic appreciation and hands-on experience.
In the Workshop of Fine Arts titled "Exploring Puru's Landscape Works", young participants analyzed Puru's landscape sketches, gaining valuable insight into his unique technique of outlining and "mogu" (boneless) painting. Inspired by these techniques, each child embarked on their own artistic journey, capturing the essence of nature on delicate paper fans. Through their creations, they explored the principles of composition and the charm of ink in Chinese painting.
The Workshop of Calligraphy, themed "Interpretation and Appreciation of Puru's Calligraphy", engaged participants in the fundamental strokes of clerical and regular scripts, drawing inspiration from Puru's masterful works. The children deepened their understanding of calligraphy’s artistic merit and enhanced their writing skills, enjoying the beauty of Chinese characters' forms and the joy of writing.
In the Workshops of Fun titled "Mixed Media: Puru's Horses", participants studied Puru's equine paintings and utilized fabrics, buttons, and other materials to create unique horse head pieces, reveling in the fusion of painting and handcraft.
When it came to the "Creative Flower Arrangement: Flowers and Plants in Puru's Paintings" class, participants referred to Puru's bird-and-flower paintings to create one or multiple flower arrangements, producing art pieces that combined painting aesthetics with the charm of decorative arrangements.
The class "Creative Collage: Rebirth of Puru's Bird-and-Flower Paintings" invited participants to create new bird-and-flower artworks using collage, after delving into Puru’s painting works and learning basic techniques. This process also unveiled the different beauties of freehand (xieyi) and fine-line (gongbi) paintings.
These engaging and imaginative programs enriched participating children's summer vacation. Prince Kung's Palace Museum remains dedicated to fulfilling its mission of "Respecting History, Protecting Artifacts, and Inheriting Culture" by organizing more vibrant and thematic cultural educational curricula in conjunction with its exhibitions, and offering juveniles more chances to learn about and experience Chinese culture and heritage.
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