Chinese woodcut from the 1930's and 40's

Some woodcuts from the 40's, China was very poor and the world war was even more anguish. I think this linocuts show such a beautiful and compelling look at life in china that many people aren't used to seeing. Especially after looking at the Communist posters that gloss over the hardships of living in China. These images come from the book 'A Century in Crisis, Modernity and Tradition in the Art of Twentieth-Century China.'

linocut research

These Linocuts come from a book I bought in China, unfortunately I don't know who the artists are since I don't read chinese. These Linocuts communicate a beautifully lonely and isolated atmosphere that I would like to emulate. Woodcut techniques are a big part of Chinese art history, especially during the Tang Dynasty and more recently in 1930's and 40's. It is a highly emotive and striking tool used to communicate the most powerful feelings of discontent and despair. I'm going to explore this through linocut (because of time restraints)

My chinese family shrine in Hujian

When my chinese family had their reunion in Xiamen this year, we visited the house where my grandparents raised the family. In this house there were 4 closed rooms on each corner of the quad, an entire family lived in each room. The big open room housed the family shrine, before which, everyone prayed for past family members by burning prayer sheets (sometimes with the family member's name on), so that they may be released into the afterlife.