No abstract

The comprehensive technical investigation of female nude paintings by the Singapore pioneer artist Liu Kang (1911–2004) provided the evidence for a discussion of the evolution of his palette of colours and his working process for expression in this genre, particularly the execution of female bodies. As the artist’s free expression in classical nude paintings was limited by the censorship imposed by the Singapore government, the investigated artworks span two periods, 1927–1954 (early career) and 1992–1999 (the “golden years”, during which censorship policies were relaxed). Hence, eight paintings from the Liu family and National Gallery Singapore were selected for non- and micro-invasive analyses of the paint layers. The obtained results were supplemented with archival sources to elucidate certain aspects of Liu Kang’s working practice. The investigation revealed the importance of drawing and sketching studies in the development of artistic ideas. The analytical techniques, such as polarised light microscopy (PLM), field emission scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy (FE-SEM-EDS) and attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), enabled us to observe a transition from the yellow iron-based tonal ranges of skin colours to complex pigment mixtures composed of additions of cobalt blue, ultramarine, Prussian blue, Cr-containing yellow(s) and green(s), cadmium yellow, orange and/or red and organic reds, revealing the artist’s more liberal use of colours and his experimentation with their contrasting and complementary juxtaposes. In terms of painting technique, the artist’s comparatively laborious paint application using small brushes quickly gave way to a more effortless manipulation of the paint using bigger brushes and the incorporation of palette knives. Moreover, visible light (VIS), near-infrared (NIR) and X-ray radiography (XRR) imaging techniques led to the discovery of a hidden composition in one investigated artwork, which bears resemblance to the nude painting known only from an archival photograph. Additionally, for the first time, the archival search provided photographic evidence that Liu Kang used oil paint tubes from Royal Talens and Rowney in the 1990s. Overall, this in-depth investigation contributes to the understanding of Liu Kang’s approach to the female nude painting and may assist conservators and art historians in studies of twentieth-century commercial paints.

This article summarises the extensive research conducted in recent years on the paintings by Liu Kang (1911–2004), a renowned modern Singaporean artist. The investigation considered 97 paintings made between 1927 and 1999 from the National Gallery Singapore and Liu family collections. While detailed results of the analytical studies were presented in a series of publications, the scope of this article comprises an overview of the artist’s preferential painting supports and pigments and an outline of the evolution of his working methods. The collected information considerably increases the knowledge about Liu Kang’s painting practice and may assist conservators in the diagnosing, treatment, dating and authentication of artworks of uncertain origin. The results demonstrate the importance of comprehensive multi-analytical studies, which combined with documentary sources and art history research, provide a full understanding of the artist’s painting practice.

This article gathers, for the first time, some intriguing technical features of Liu Kang’s painting practice, which spans seven decades. These features encompass retouching, alteration as well as the painting over of rejected compositions and painting on the reverse sides of earlier artworks. As Liu Kang (1 91 1–2004) did not discuss the technical details of his artistic process, an exploration of these aspects of the artist’s expression helps us understand the motivation behind his unconventional decisions. The paint layers were characterised through imaging methods like visible light (VIS), ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF), near-infrared (NIR), reflectance transformation imaging (RTI), digital optical microscopy (DOM) and X-ray radiography (XRR). The technical analyses were additionally supplemented with archival sources. The results showed that some aspects of the artist’s painting practice may distort the provenance of the paintings, impact dating, visual interpretation of his painting technique and style, as well as future conservation and display decisions. The presented case studies discuss the influence of Liu Kang’s unconventional painting approaches on the perception and interpretation of his artworks. Additionally, some hidden alterations and entirely new compositions were revealed for the first time and presented here, adding to growing knowledge about the artist’s painting technique. Moreover, universal aesthetical and ethical considerations were discussed in the context of the conservation and display approach to the artist’s retouching work and double-sided paintings. Besides, this research promotes a need for obtaining a comprehensive understanding of Liu Kang’s painting practice and coherent guidelines to ensure proper presentation of his artworks and to prevent misinterpretation of his technique and artistic outcomes.

Liu Kang (1911–2004) was a Chinese artist who settled in Singapore in 1945 and eventually became a leading modern artist in Singapore. He received academic training in Shanghai (1926–1928) and Paris (1929–1932). Liu Kang’s frequent visits to China from the 1970s to the 1990s contributed to a special artistic subject—the Huangshan and Guilin mountains. This subject matter triggered an uncommon painting approach for his oeuvre. In this context, this study elucidates the artist’s choice of materials and methods for the execution of 11 paintings, dating between 1977 and 1996, depicting Huangshan and Guilin landscapes. The paintings belong to the collection of the National Gallery Singapore. They were investigated with a combination of non- and micro-invasive techniques, supplemented by a wealth of documentary sources and art history research. The obtained results highlight the predominant use of hardboards resembling Masonite® Presdwood® without the application of an intermediate ground layer. Commercially prepared cotton and linen painting supports were used less frequently, and their structure and ground composition were variable. This study revealed the use of a conventional colour base for the execution of the paintings—a consistent colour scheme favouring ultramarine, yellow and red iron-containing earths, viridian and titanium white. Less commonly used pigments include Prussian blue, cobalt blue, phthalocyanine blue, phthalocyanine green, naphthol red AS-D, umber, Cr-containing yellow(s), cadmium yellow or its variant(s), Hansa yellow G, lithopone and/or barium white and zinc white and bone black. The documentary sources indirectly pointed to the use of Royal Talens, Rowney and Winsor & Newton, brands of oil paints. Moreover, technical and archival findings indicated the artist’s tendency to recycle rejected compositions, thereby strongly suggesting that the paintings were executed in the studio. Although this study focuses on the Singapore artist and his series of paintings relating to China, it contributes to existing international studies of modern artists’ materials.