Scott No: -
Serial number: 2018-10
Values in set: 3
Date of issue: May 11, 2018
Denomination: 390 fen
Designer: Shi Yuan
Size of stamps:
30 * 50 mm for Value I, III;
38 * 50 mm for Value II
Perforation:
13.5 for Value I, III;
13 * 13.5 mm for Value II
Sheet composition:
16 for Sheet I;
4 for Sheet II
Sheet Size:
146 * 240 mm for Value I,III (Sheet I);
180 * 240 mm for Value II (Sheet I);
120 * 150 mm for Sheet II
Printing process:
Offset and Engraving for Value I;
Offset for Value II;
Photogravure for Value III
Printing House: Beijing Stamp Printing Works

"Selected Contemporary Fine Art Works (II)" is a set of special stamps with the issue number 2018-10, issued by China Post on May 11, 2018, to commemorate the achievements of contemporary painters in the field of painting. The full set contains 3 stamps, featuring works by three painters respectively: The More One Admires, the More Lofty It Appears by Feng Zikai, Raft Sailing on Autumn Stream by Guan Shanyue, and Looking Far at the Magnificent Rivers and Mountains by Li Kuchan.

The First Stamp

The image of this stamp is concise, bright, and has a profound artistic conception. Although the figures in the painting appear from the back or side, they are extremely vivid and expressive.

The Second Stamp (Raft Sailing on Autumn Stream)

This work features an innovative concept, and the painting exudes a strong sense of freedom and spontaneity. The combination of intense colors and meticulous outlines creates a visual impact that balances boldness with delicacy. The painting adopts a technique that integrates traditional heavy-color painting with Western painting concepts of color application, showcasing the grandeur and beauty of the motherland’s magnificent rivers and mountains.

The Third Stamp (Looking Far at the Magnificent Rivers and Mountains)

In the image, two powerful eagles perch on a towering cliff. Their claws, like steel hooks, grip the cliff tightly as they gaze majestically into the distance. This scene embodies Li Kuchan’s spiritual sustenance of upholding justice.

This set of stamps has a vertical format. With the paintings as the center of the entire stamp surface, the focus is prominent and the artistic atmosphere is broad and open. The calligraphy art of the artists can be "glimpsed to understand the whole picture" through the inscriptions appearing on one side of the stamp’s caption. The stamps were printed using three processes: intaglio-offset combination, photogravure, and offset printing. This represents a significant advancement and innovation compared to "Selected Contemporary Fine Art Works (I)" and is also a pioneering initiative in the history of Chinese stamps.

Feng Zikai (1898-1975)

A native of Chongde County, Jiaxing (now Tongxiang City), Zhejiang Province, Feng Zikai studied under Master Hongyi (Li Shutong). He was famous for creating comics and prose using a painting style that integrated Chinese and Western techniques. His main works include the prose collection Random Notes from Yuanyuan Studio and the comic album Zikai’s Comics. The phrase "The More One Admires, the More Lofty It Appears" (Yang Zhi Mi Gao) originates from The Analects of Confucius·Zi Han, meaning "the more one looks up to something or someone, the more lofty and dignified it/they seem", expressing profound admiration for a person or thing. His painting The More One Admires, the More Lofty It Appears has a concise, bright image and a profound artistic conception; although the figures appear from the back or side, they are extremely vivid.

Guan Shanyue (1912-2000)

Hailing from Yangjiang City, Guangdong Province, Guan Shanyue was a renowned traditional Chinese painter, educator, and a representative figure of the Lingnan School of Painting. His masterpieces include Such a Beautiful Land (co-created with Fu Baoshi) which is displayed in the Great Hall of the People. His published works include Guan Shanyue’s Painting Album, Fu Baoshi and Guan Shanyue’s Sketches from Northeast China, and Selected Works of Guan Shanyue. His work Raft Sailing on Autumn Stream has an innovative concept, exuding a strong sense of freedom. The combination of intense colors and meticulous outlines creates a visual impact of "boldness with delicacy". By integrating traditional heavy-color painting with Western color application concepts, the painting showcases the grandeur and beauty of the motherland’s great rivers and mountains.

Li Kuchan (1899-1983)

A native of Gaotang County, Shandong Province, Li Kuchan studied under the master of traditional Chinese painting Qi Baishi. He was a famous painter of freehand flower-and-bird paintings, calligrapher, and people’s art educator, specializing in painting flowers, birds, and eagles. His representative works include Flourishing Lotus, Group of Eagles, and Waterfowl. In his painting Looking Far at the Magnificent Rivers and Mountains, two powerful eagles perch on a towering cliff; their claws, like steel hooks, cling tightly to the rock, and they gaze majestically into the distance—embodying Li Kuchan’s spiritual pursuit of upholding justice.