Charles LACHMAN
A Western-style portrait of a Chinese lady. PHOTO BY JOAN LEBOLD COHEN.
The term guohua or “national-style painting,” first gained prominence in the early twentieth century as part of a broader discussion about how to define “Chineseness.” Although originally used to distinguish Chinese painting from Western art (xihua), the term guohua is now used primarily to distinguish between traditional art and modern art.
The term guohua, or “national-style painting,” refers very broadly to artworks that employ the
