本文試圖以「畫家—觀眾」關係的角度重新檢視二十世紀前期繪畫在中國的發展。在過去半個世紀以來，有關此段歷史的研究大都採取「西方衝擊—中國回應」的論述架構，將重點置於西方藝術之進入中國，及其所產生的新象。作者在此則改由對「內在脈絡之變化」的觀察，同時由傳統中的「雅俗之辨」和當時之國難情境兩個方向，探討畫家如何思考其與觀眾的關係，以及他們所作的抉擇。

自二十世紀初起，中國新文化的追尋便與日益嚴重的國難緊緊地連在一起。為了抒解國難，「走向民眾」成為檢驗當時所有新文化運動是否能有所貢獻的唯一準繩。美術界也認同這個目標，但是，其中的成員卻無法像其他文學界及知識界的朋友們一樣，義無反顧地「走向民眾」。如果那意謂著重新調整他們與觀眾的關係，為何他們無法作此改變，以遂行他們救國的使命？傳統的「雅俗」觀一直扮演著重要的壓力角色。在對日戰爭期間，革新派畫家，如高劍父、徐悲鴻，極罕描繪抗戰中生活苦態來激勵愛國士氣，反而是採用一種間接的寓意方式來呈現他們的風格。他們也將觀眾設定在能解讀其寓意的小眾。另外一群畫家，包括林風眠、黃賓虹與傅抱石，則以「至雅」來抒解他們面對國難而起的心理焦慮。他們都轉向不易為一般民眾理解的傳統筆墨之探討，企圖重再發現中國文化傳統的根源與生命力，並以之來進行他們救亡圖存的任務。這也顯示了傳統雅俗情結在國難情境中的潛伏運作。

This study tries to re-examine the development of Chinese painting in the first half of the 20th century focusing on the issue of “painter-audience” relationship. In the past half-century, studies concerning this part of history all conducted within a “Western impact-Chinese response” discoursive framework, and emphasized the introduction of Western art to China and its significant consequences. In this paper, I choose to view the problem from the perspective of “changing internal cultural context”, within which the traditional notion of “differentiation of elegance and vulgarity” and the national crisis emerged in the contemporary China are treated to understand artists’ reflection on their relationship with audience.

From the beginning of the 20th century, the development of China’s new culture has been inextricably linked with the worsening position of the country. “Turning to the masses” became the most important criterion for judging the results of new cultural movements and its contributions towards saving the country. Artists agreed with that ultimate concern, they however met with considerable difficulty in realizing the guidance and re-ordered their relationship with audience. The traditional elitist view of elegance against vulgarity played a significant role here. During the Sino-Japanese War, the reformer artists such as Gao Jianfu and Xu Beihong seldom directly depicted the living situation under the war but chose a more indirect, albeit symbolic way of expression to call forth patriotism. Their intended audience still remained the few who could understand the didactic nature of the symbol in their paintings. Another group of painter took the position of “extreme elegance” to take care of their psychological anxiety produced by the national crisis. Lin Fengmian, Huang Binhong and Fu Baoshi all returned back to very traditional elitist emphasis of brushwork, trying to rediscover the root spirit of Chinese culture heritage and the accompanying great vitality which would suit for the need to save the nation. It also demonstrates that the traditional attitude of elegance against vulgarity maintained its influence to the middle of the 20th century even the chaotic conditions of war could not shake its deeply ingrained usage.

中國現代繪畫; 雅俗之辨; 觀眾; 國難; 海派繪畫; 藝術改革

modern Chinese painting; elegance vs. vulgarity; audience; national crisis; Shanghai School; artistic reform