Male Nude

In spring 1920, Xu Beihong enrolled in the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. Every morning he would do his exercises at school, and every afternoon he would go to the Académie Julian to draw models. He completed the foundational courses very quickly.
In winter, Xu met noted painter Pascal Dagnan-Bouveret (1852-1929, France) through the sculptor Jean Dampte and his wife. He went to Dagnan-Bouveret’s studio with his paintings every week to ask for advice. Dagnan-Bouveret told Xu to “never submit to others” and “never follow fashions or be satisfied with small accomplishments.” He instructed Xu to immediately draw a figure again after completing a detailed study, remembering its traits, comparing it to the subject, and correcting any errors. He had a profound influence on Xu Beihong’s painting
-Li Song, The Chronicle of Xu Beihong