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After Mao Zedong’s Poem “Swimming”

Fu Baoshi Chinese

Not on view

On May 31, 1956, Mao Zedong swam across the Yangzi River from Wuchang to Hankou. He ventured across the river many other times, finding in it the inspiration for “a great plan.” As laid out in his poem “Swimming” of June 1956, he wanted to tame the Yangzi with human structures. Fu must have seen a newspaper photograph of Mao swimming in the river and borrowed the composition for this painting.

After Mao Zedong’s Poem “Swimming”, Fu Baoshi (Chinese, 1904–1965), Album leaf; ink on paper, China

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