**1. Introduction**

Liu Kang (1911–2004) was one of the most influential figures in the early development of modern art in Singapore. He was born in Yongchun, Fujian province, China. After graduating from Xinhua Arts Academy in Shanghai in 1928, he moved to Paris, where he stayed from February 1929 to April 1932. In the early decades of the 20th century, there was a growing enthusiasm in China towards the study of Western culture. Western art appealed to Chinese educational modernisers because of its realism and supposed association with science and progress [1]. Hence, the Chinese government encouraged graduates as well as established artists to further their art education in France and to promote modernisation ideas in a rapidly transforming China upon their return [2]. Liu Kang's stay in Paris had a significant influence on his career. He attended the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Montparnasse and studied Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and Fauvist styles [3]. In an essay from 1970, Liu Kang made a reference to his Paris phase: "We visited fine art museums and studied the masterpieces of past generations of artists, toured famous art galleries to admire recent works by contemporary artists, and gained much from this initiation" [4].

**Citation:** Lizun, D.; Kurkiewicz, T.; Szczupak, B. Exploring Liu Kang's Paris Practice (1929–1932): Insight into Painting Materials and Technique. *Heritage* **2021**, *4*, 828–863. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage 4020046

Academic Editor: Diego Tamburini

Received: 26 April 2021 Accepted: 16 May 2021 Published: 19 May 2021

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Although his Paris paintings may seem to show a chaotic mixture of different styles at first glance, a close examination reveals a variety of influences and the search for an individual technique. Liu Kang was attracted to Post-Impressionist and Fauvist styles for their expressive use of colour and form to depict a subjective view of the world [5,6]. It is worth noting that his artistic explorations of the Western painting styles achieved some success—his works were accepted by Salon d'Automne in 1930 and 1931. The variety of styles adopted by the artist in Paris invites the question of whether he actively explored different painting materials. Hence, this study aims to characterise Liu Kang's painting technique and the pigments he used during the period under review. This study expands the scope of the earlier preliminary investigation of two of Liu Kang's paintings [7,8] and the overview of his painting supports from Paris phase [9]. The collected data contribute to the knowledge of Liu Kang's painting materials. It may be useful to art historians exploring Liu Kang's workmanship and conservators planning conservation treatments of his paintings.
