余本油画作品

 《奏出人间的辛酸》

　　底层悲欢 

画作：《拉胡琴者》（后改名《奏出人间的辛酸》）

创作年代：1931年（中国美术馆藏）

评画人：陈滢（广州艺博院副院长）

长期以来，加拿大一直以欧洲文化为中心，加拿大画家深受英法的影响，较少反映加拿大的现实生活。到了1914年，加拿大“七人画派”诞生了，强调冲破欧洲绘画传统的束缚，以加拿大人的眼光来观察加拿大，具有浓烈的地域色彩和民族风格。余本于1929年到安德里奥艺术学院深造，在“七人画派”的著名画家Macdonald、Beaty和JohnSton的指导下习画，得到很大的启发，开始了对油画民族化的探索。

《拉琴者》是余本26岁时的作品。该画以写实的手法，塑造了一位海外华工动人的形象———他裸露着健壮而又疲惫的胳膊，粗糙的手指紧紧压在二胡的琴弦上，用整个身心在拉着琴，奏出如泣如诉的琴声。他虽然低垂着头，看不到五官，但他那极富内在激情的形体动作，淋漓尽致地表露了内心的悲伤和愤怒。褐色的画面深沉雄伟，有一股摄人心魄的力量。

余本以中国人的眼光来观察中国人，出色地表现了中华民族的情感和气质。

《妻子》

　　贤淑之美

画作：《妻子》

创作年代：1939年（余家后人藏）

评画人：陈继春（澳门美术史学者，中央美术学院博士）

出生于越南的陈玉珠与余本于台山新婚数月后丈夫重去加拿大习画，家里就由她撑持。余氏作画请不起模特儿，就以夫人代替其角色。后来多幅肖像画被卖去，此画是唯一留存的作品。

此画中，画家妻子端坐桌边，身穿深褐色的短袖外衣，右臂的袖口因外面的光线折射而呈墨绿，细长的手臂显现出能干的本色，手上没有饰物；夫人极目远方，苍茫的目光不乏生活的诗情。身后墙上的油画，似是暗示她的身份；桌上小盘上是6颗荔枝，已剥去外壳，另一颗被置于花瓶之旁；两朵白莲花插在米黄色而又带褐斑的花瓶上，其一含苞待放，另一绽放出绿黄色的花蕊和浅绿色的莲房。单看这两组物件已可见画家过人的静物画造诣。该画成于香港，在内涵与用色，甚至写实能力上堪称精品。

白莲出现在妻子的画像上，崇尚以“脑”作画的余本并不似随意地以家中的物件作画材，当中真挚地表现出对妻子的感恩和敬重，而这一真情回眸又不止于“像”，更是美学上所探求的美。1989年，因白内障双目失明而被迫放下画笔的余本曾对来访的黄大德说，如果还可以画画的话，还要画一张妻子的肖像，足见余本对妻子的深情。

《黄河渡口》

　　黄河之恋

画作：《黄河渡口》

创作年代：1965年

评画人：梁照堂（国家一级美术师，广州画院理论部主任）

《黄河渡口》这幅作品是余本留洋归来后，游历大江名山处处留画的其中一幅重要的作品。这幅作品的主色调是棕黄色，作者通过这种近乎于土地的颜色表达对黄河母亲的爱，从而延伸到对中华民族的深厚感情。在这幅作品中，作者的笔触十分沉实、浑厚，用色浓烈而沉着，棕黄中略带金色，使人真切地感受到作者深沉的爱。

此外，在人物的刻画方面，尽管画面上人物不多，但每一条飘荡于骇浪中的渡船，每一个奋力划船的渔夫，都充满着力量。通过黄河渡口的场景描绘，使人联想到船只络绎不绝的河面，劳动人民艰苦奋斗的精神便跃然纸上。余本所画的风景画的力量在于，通过无形表现有形，不一定把每一样事物都画出来。他吸收了西方油画的技巧，并结合中国画的诗情画意，以一当十的意境。《黄河渡口》这幅画便是这种风景画的代表作。

《小兴安岭气象站》

　　简洁之美

画作：《小兴安岭气象站》

创作年代：1963年

评画人：区广安（《广州美术》主编）

曾两度受国外多位著名画家指导的余本，画风显得十分地道，绝非半路出家者所能做到。无论是用色还是作画技巧，均显示出他深厚的基本功与别具特色的个人风格。他的作品风格多样，从静物的印象派演绎，到后期温馨的米勒风格，可看出余本的画工博而精。

师承最为正宗的西洋画传统，与在国内学画的画家不同，余本完美结合了传统西画的风格与中国民间的题材。风景画是余本在后期最为突出的一环。在游历大江南北后，题材不再局限在珠江两岸的水陆人文风景，而转变为更大气与朴实的大自然风光。在此类风景画中，人物往往只是简单地勾勒，却成了整幅画的点睛之笔。即使人物缺席，仍然能从细节中流露处处生机，或许是孤独而温馨的小村庄，或许是淡淡的炊烟，或许就如这幅画一般，两个风向标，一排厂房，却生机盎然。

与中国山水画不同，在余本笔下，西方油彩笔法描绘的大自然别有一番风情。少了一点缥缈，却多了一份灵动。正如本届奥运会开幕式，张艺谋用中国的方式演绎世界的文明，余本则是用西方的油画，表现中国山河之美。

 在他身上，“纯粹”两字体现到极致

采访对象：余锦森（余本第三子）

出国本为务工，背着父亲偷偷学画

记者：回忆你父亲时，你最先浮出脑海的一个词是什么？

余锦森：佩服。父亲是我最佩服的人。父亲一生认真，无论是画画，还是做人，都教导我们要认真。记得小时候我们做家务，父亲跟我们说：“洗脸盆，不要看盆面干不干净，而是要看盆底干不干净。”这句话让我一生受用。我父亲13岁就去加拿大务工、帮忙，他深深明白要想成功，讲的就是认真。

记者：他当时出国务工是为了学画勤工俭学而去的么？

余锦森：当时台山人的传统是，出去打工，赚美金，然后回来娶老婆、造大屋。我爷爷把我父亲送出去时，是让他沿袭这个传统的，本来就没想让他画画，觉得没什么出息。但我父亲从小就爱画画，连我爷爷的记账本上都画了不少公仔，父亲在加拿大那边根本无心去赚钱，而是跑去学画画。我爷爷知道了大为震怒，叫在加拿大的叔伯兄弟们都不要把钱给我父亲，断绝他的生活来源。最后，还是靠我母亲，她变卖了自己的首饰，去支持我父亲学画。我父亲第一年半工半读交学费，第二年开始就获得了可以免费读书的奖学金。

记者：所以你父亲很感念你母亲？

余锦森：是的。我母亲不但变卖首饰支持我父亲，平常家务、家里的事情也主要是我母亲在操持，我父亲不怎么管我们，甚至连几个子女在哪工作都搞不清楚。（笑）

人物画以中下层为主，模特常请家人或街坊

记者：听说你母亲还亲自为你父亲做模特？

余锦森：我母亲，还有我两个姐妹，以及我的弟弟们都做过他的模特。儿子们比较皮，坐不住，妹妹经常做模特（笑）。当时请人体模特太贵。常常便是我母亲到菜市场买菜的时候，去问问那些市民、街坊愿不愿意来做模特，十块、八块一个人，请不到，便以母亲和妹妹们做模特，很多是穿古装的，都卖了，只留下一幅1939年的《妻子》，只有这幅画是真正画我母亲这个人，表达父亲对妻子这个人的感情的。但以妻女做模特的比例不大，还是以去街上请人为主，那些人体油画也是请专业模特画的。

记者：余本先生笔下人物，常以中下层人物为主，如你所说，很多还是业余模特，这是因为费用限制的关系吗？

余锦森：我觉得，父亲画作中，渔民、苦力这些形象很多，不是因为经费，而是因为他觉得这个阶层比较能够反映自己的艺术观念。例如那幅著名的《奏出人间的辛酸》，拉琴者也是一个亲戚，他在国外白天洗碗碟，晚上没什么娱乐，就拉琴，反映了一种生活状态。

其实回到香港后，我们家的生活已经好过加拿大那时。父亲在香港开画展，一幅画能卖五六百元，最贵的甚至有一千多元，而当时其他画家普遍在100元左右，父亲的画卖的价格是很高的。回国之后，国家给我父亲每个月360元工资，在当时也很高，已经不太担心生活了。但是我父亲这个人，花大量的钱来买颜料、相框。一箱颜料，大约相当于我的半年学费，而父亲作画很认真，画作不行时常常重新又画一次，颜料消耗很大。

有个逸事，那时候李铁夫比我们家的状况差，没有自己的画室，在香港时都是借用我父亲的画室，画画用的也是我父亲买的颜料；所以李铁夫也会去画水彩画，颜料真的很贵。

他要在有限的时间内去抓紧做事

记者：就是说，余本先生虽然卖画颇丰，但是花在油画上了。他没有考虑过其他投资、理财吗？这样可以获得更多的收入。

余锦森：父亲考虑问题，是完全只关注在艺术上的。父亲曾说，人生的时间不长，要在有限的时间内去抓紧做事。他一天到晚都在画画，不讲究吃什么，不去买屋，不去投资，也不喜欢应酬，甚至连朋友约吃饭也不大愿意，原因是不希望影响了工作。以前香港的富商胡文虎，“虎标万金油”创建人那个，出巨资让我父亲画肖像，我父亲看看他的相貌不适合，就婉拒说没时间画。我父亲遇到一个犹太人，棱角突出、很适合入画的，便主动提出说：“来，我给你画幅画像。”

记者：但是学者杨小彦曾说，他晚年到余先生家探访时，因为画人常常陷入贫困，余本先生对绘画“甚至是恨之入骨”的。听说你当初曾有意继承父业，报考美术学校，也被你父亲制止了？

余锦森：（大笑）恨之入骨肯定没有。当时他听到我报考美院的消息，就跟我说了一句，“在巴黎画画的人有10万人，但成功的不够一打。你自己把握有没有这个本事。”他不是不希望子女去学，而是叫你要懂得知难而退。我自己衡量了一下，就转报了建筑设计。

当然，从经济效益角度来看，做建筑师肯定比做画家效益要大。我父亲一生画画，都不能买房，一直都在租房，在香港的时候搬了三四次，澳门的时候搬了4次，回国后在这个华侨新村里面也搬了4次，一直租房，一直到1982年建这栋房子以后才安定下来；这栋房子还是我自己设计的。画人要养家，还是很困难的。

 Yu Ben (1905.6-1995.1), alias Yu Jianben, is from Taishan, Guangdong Province. Good at oil painting, Chinese painting. In 1928, he was admitted to Sunny School of Fine Arts in Canada. In 1931, he graduated from Andrio College of Art in Toronto Province. At that time, his painting "The Player" participated in the Canadian National Art Exhibition and World Exposition in Ottawa. He returned to Hong Kong in 1935. He went to Guangxi to sketch with Xu Beihong, Li Tiefu and Huang Shaoling. Several solo exhibitions have been held in Hong Kong. In September 1956, in response to Premier Zhou Enlai's call for foreign intellectuals to return home to participate in socialist construction, the whole family returned home to settle down. Since 1957, Yuben's oil painting art has entered a new stage. He tried to be a half-way monk of Chinese painter, through the attempt of ink painting to understand the national painting tradition, so as to draw lessons from the nationalization of oil painting creation.

Yu Ben (1905.6-1995.1), alias Yu Jianben, is from Taishan, Guangdong Province. Good at oil painting, Chinese painting. In 1928, he was admitted to Sunny School of Fine Arts in Canada. In 1931, he graduated from Andrio College of Art in Toronto Province. At that time, his painting "The Player" participated in the Canadian National Art Exhibition and World Exposition in Ottawa. He returned to Hong Kong in 1935. He went to Guangxi to sketch with Xu Beihong, Li Tiefu and Huang Shaoling. Several solo exhibitions have been held in Hong Kong. In September 1956, in response to Premier Zhou Enlai's call for foreign intellectuals to return home to participate in socialist construction, the whole family returned home to settle down. Since 1957, Yuben's oil painting art has entered a new stage. He tried to be a half-way monk of Chinese painter, through the attempt of ink painting to understand the national painting tradition, so as to draw lessons from the nationalization of oil painting creation. Yu Ben has been working hard in art and has obtained rich artistic achievements. His representative works include oil paintings "Player", "Yellow River Ferry", "Great Wall", "Yan'an", "Overlooking the Three Gorges", and Chinese painting "Lie on the River on the Castle Peak". Published "Yu Ben Painting Collection" and so on. He has been Vice President of Guangdong Academy of Painting and Consultant of China Artists Association.

In him, the "pure" typeface is at its best.

Interviewee: Yu Jinsen (the third son of Yu Ben)

He went abroad as a migrant worker and secretly studied painting with his father behind his back.

Reporter: When you recall your father, what was the first word that came to your mind?

Yu Jinsen: Admire. Father is the person I admire most. Father is serious all his life. He teaches us to be serious, whether in painting or in life. I remember when we were young, our father said to us, "Wash the basin, do not look at the basin surface is not clean, but to see the basin bottom is not clean." This sentence has served me well all my life. My father went to Canada to work and help when he was 13 years old. He knew that to succeed, he had to be serious.

Reporter: Did he go abroad to work for painting?

Yu Jinsen: At that time, Taishan people's tradition was to go out to work, earn US dollars, and then come back to marry a wife and build a big house. When my grandpa sent my father out, he let him follow this tradition. He didn't want him to draw. He didn't think he had any future. But my father loved to draw since he was a child. Even my grandpa's account book painted a lot of dolls. My father had no intention of making money in Canada, but went to learn to draw. My grandfather was so angry that he told his uncles and brothers in Canada not to give money to my father and cut off his source of livelihood. Finally, it was my mother who sold her jewelry to support my father in learning painting. My father paid for his first year's work and study, and in the second year he was awarded a scholarship to study free of charge.

Reporter: So your father misses your mother very much?

Yu Jinsen: Yes. My mother not only sells jewelry to support my father, but also manages housework and family affairs. My father doesn't care much about us, and even doesn't know where several children work. (Laughter)

Figure painting is mainly middle and lower class. Models often invite family members or neighborhoods.

Reporter: I heard that your mother is also a model for your father?

Yu Jinsen: My mother, my two sisters and my brother have all been his models. Sons are more skinny and can't sit still. My sister often models (laughs). It was too expensive to have human models. Often when my mother went to the vegetable market to buy vegetables, she asked the citizens and neighbours whether they would like to be models. If they could not get ten or eight yuan, they would use their mothers and sisters as models. Many of them were in antique clothes and sold, leaving only a 1939 "Wife", which was really my mother's painting. Personally, it expresses the father's feelings towards his wife. But the proportion of wives and daughters as models is not large, or mainly to invite people to the streets, those body paintings are also invited professional models.