Modern Sketch

Defunct monthly Chinese art periodical

Modern Sketch Issue 1 (January 1934), by Zhang Guangyu Modern Sketch

Traditional Chinese| 時代漫畫
Simplified Chinese| 时代漫画
| Transcriptions

Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin| Shídài Mànhuà
Wade–Giles| Shih-tai Man-hua

Modern Sketch (Chinese: 時代漫畫) was a monthly Chinese art periodical. It ran from January 1934 through June 1937.[1] The owner of the publication was Shao Xunmei (Zau Sinmay),[2] and the editor was Lu Shaofei (魯少飛; 鲁少飞).[3] The magazine was published by Shao Xunmei's Modern Publications Ltd.,[1] headquartered in Shanghai,[4] and Shao Xunmei also published Modern Cinema (時代電影) and Modern Pictorial (時代畫報).[2]

Many of the works featured in the magazine were created by students who later gained positions in the Chinese government later in the 20th century.[5]

Andrew Jones, author of Developmental Fairy Tales, stated that Modern Sketch and its two sister publications "were famous for the quality of their production values and the graphic art (including cartoons, photomontage, and other forms) adorning their pages."[2] The Massachusetts Institute of Technology stated that Modern Sketch had a "kaleidoscopic window onto the past" and that its content "lend blunt visual force to the major crises and contradictions that define China’s 20th century as a quintessentially modern era."[5]

## History

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This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2014)

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The magazine ran for 39 issues.[1] Issue #26, printed February 1936, had a negative depiction of Xu Shiying, the Ambassador of China to Japan. As a result, the authorities suspended the magazine's publication beginning in March 1936, and Lu Shaofei was detained. The magazine Modern Puck (Manhua jie), edited by Wang Dunqing, had three monthly issues printed during the period the publication of Modern Sketch was suspended. MIT stated that the magazine was "nearly identical to Modern Sketch".[6] The publication of Modern Sketch resumed in May of that year. Modern Puck continued its print run after the resumption of Modern Sketch, ending at the end of the year of 1936.[6]

## Works

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This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2014)

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The magazine had a "Jazz Age" style.[7]

MIT stated that the magazine was made by men for men and that an indicator was the use of erotic depictions of women, including semi-naked and naked women; editor Lu Shaofei and almost all of the artists made erotic depictions of women.[3] According to MIT, sometimes the purpose of the drawings of the women were to get attention and sometimes they were there to make political statements.[3]

## See also

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* Shanghai Manhua

## References

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1. ^ a b c Crespi, John A. "The Turbulent 30's" (Archive). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved August 6, 2014. - Printer friendly version (Archive).
2. ^ a b c Jones, Andrew F. Developmental Fairy Tales. Harvard University Press, May 2, 2011. ISBN 0674061039, 9780674061033. p. 228.
3. ^ a b c "Nine Thematic Visual Narratives 3. Eroticized Women" (Archive). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
4. ^ "ms305_Wanxiang_03_44.htm" (Archive). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved on August 6, 2014. - Image from Van Jan which states "Published by the Modern Publications Ltd. 300 Foochow Road, Shanghai"
5. ^ a b "China's Modern Sketch—1" (Archive). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
6. ^ a b "NOTES for Chapter 1" (Archive). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved on August 6, 2014.
7. ^ "Nine Thematic Visual Narratives 2. “Modern Girl Modern Boy”" (Archive). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved August 6, 2014.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Modern Sketch.

* Scanned files of all issues except issue 30 at Colgate University Libraries
* Scanned files of all 39 issues at Shuge.org