蔡元培和画家威廉的父女深情

时间:2022-01-15 03:28:02

在杭州植物园内玉泉路1号,有一幢绿树围绕的中式花园别墅叫“马岭山房”,前为平房,后为楼房,黑瓦粉墙,泥壁木地,另有大小花园、附房若干、井一口。这是80年前蔡元培为长女威廉出嫁而资助建造的新房,也是父女深情的一个见证。

蔡元培先后娶过三位夫人,生有五子二女,长子6岁夭折,其中5个子女都是卓有成就的科学家,只有他最宠爱的蔡威廉进入艺术殿堂,成为中国现代最早向西方学艺的女画家和中国早期美术教育家。

令人痛惜的是,这位才华横溢的画家在抗日战争时期颠沛流离,1939年5月8日因产褥热于昆明早逝,年仅35周岁,临终前在墙上写下“家难!国难!”避居香港的蔡元培闻此噩耗,一病不起,次年3月5日也离开人世。据蔡元培的小儿子蔡英多回忆:“那天上午9点多,父亲走得很突然。……一直念着‘威廉’,‘威廉’,可见他是多么疼爱姐姐。”

多次随父出国专习油画

1904年6月3日,蔡元培和他的第二位夫人黄仲玉在上海喜得长女,取名“威廉”。“威廉”之名源于德语“Wilhelm”,寄托着蔡元培一心赴德国求学和教育救国的决心。

从出生到成年的二十几年里,威廉一直过着不安定的生活。1907年6月,年已四旬的蔡元培抛家别子,自费赴德游学。在父亲出国的5年里,年幼的威廉随母亲在绍兴、杭州等地居住。为响应辛亥革命,蔡元培于1911年冬回国,次年担任中华民国首任教育总长,半年后因不满袁世凯专制统治而辞职。1913年9月,蔡元培携夫人和子女离沪赴欧,10月抵法国,威廉入巴黎当地的教会学校读书。

1916年冬,因教育总长范源濂电邀蔡元培出任北京大学校长,威廉便随父母回国,入北京孔德学校。孔德学校是由其父蔡元培与李石曾等人创办的一所新型学校,以法国实证主义哲学家AuguesteComte的姓“孔德”命名,目的是取他注重科学的精神,使各科教学不单靠书本和教师的讲授,而偏重实地观察。因而学校开设了图画、手工、音乐和体育运动等课,这给少年威廉以很好的艺术熏陶。

也许是受父亲的耳濡目染,天资聪明、爱好文艺的威廉对美术产生了兴趣,决计从事美术事业。1923年7月,蔡元培再次赴欧学习考察时,她便随父亲前往比利时,入当时已有300年历史的布鲁塞尔皇家美术学院学习绘画。次年,威廉接受父亲的建议,前往法国,就读于著名的里昂美术专科学校,专习油画。

蔡威廉多次随父亲蔡元培出国,十几年的游欧生活,使她接受了良好的欧式教育,通晓了法、德等国语言,饱览了西方绘画艺术精华,为其艺术创作和教学打下扎实基础。

结婚当天为父亲画像

1928年4月,时任中央研究院院长的蔡元培偕夫人和威廉由南京到杭州,参加由他提议创办的杭州国立艺术专科学校(今中国美术学院)成立仪式,任命林风眠为院长,林文铮为教务处长兼西洋美术史教授。

回国不久的威廉也留在该院,成为该校首批西画专业教师之一。从此,她多年漂泊的生活也相对安定下来。

学校的林文铮对才貌兼备的蔡威廉起了爱慕之心,可他不敢高攀,但蔡威廉对他却是一见钟情。1个月后,蔡威廉和林文铮就在林风眠陪同下,去南京面见蔡元培。蔡元培早在留法期间,就与林文铮相识,对其为人和才华十分赏识。他听后大喜,急着说:“马上订婚!马上订婚!”

1928年11月,蔡威廉、林文铮在杭州举行婚礼,蔡元培特地从南京赶来。威廉的亲生母亲在她17岁时去世,要出嫁的威廉蓦地对亲生父亲产生一股特殊的眷恋,执意要在结婚当天为父亲画一幅肖像,希望这幅画可以陪伴父亲。

结婚这一天,继母周养浩一直催威廉穿戴,可她整整一上午就在给父亲画像。实在是时间太紧,画上鞋子的轮廓线都淡了,却来不及上油彩。她只好让继母把画完成。

周养浩随蔡元培旅欧时就学习美术,擅长油画。也许是为了原汁原味地珍藏女儿对父亲的这份感情,周养浩一直没有续画。这幅未曾完成的肖像画,寄托的正是女儿威廉对父亲的无限深情和爱戴。

资助威廉夫妇建造“马岭山房”

蔡元培对这门婚事十分满意,1929年,他送女儿、女婿五千大洋,让他们在杭州盖幢房子作寓所。蔡元培历任要职,工资不低,但他一生清廉,家里支出很多,还经常捐助社会公益事业,接济有困难的学生、亲友,积蓄并没有多少,一生没有置房。这笔钱,也是蔡元培一生最大的一次性开支了。

用这笔钱,再加上林文铮的积蓄,威廉夫妇共花了约七千大洋在杭州马岭山上盖起了寓所。蔡威廉像创作油画一样精心设计房子,连围墙、窗花、铁门都十分用心。房子建成后,蔡元培常来小住,还亲题“马岭山房”一匾。

婚后,蔡威廉夫妇也时常到上海看望父亲,蔡元培日记中常有“威廉、文铮夫妇来”,“晚,威廉、文铮为我暖寿”,“威廉等于六时五十五分回杭”等记载,流露出蔡元培对威廉夫妇造访的喜悦和分别的惆怅。

蔡元培酷爱读书、藏书,威廉夫妇为他专门订制了20只樟木书箱,父亲70岁生日前,还送了一套汤显祖撰的明版《玉茗堂选集》作为寿礼。蔡元培十分喜欢这套选集,在1937年3月20日的日记中专门对其作了详细评述。

婚后,威廉夫妇的生活十分幸福。立志要成为“中国达・芬奇”的威廉也把主要精力投入到了教学和创作中。她擅长人物肖像画,有欧洲现代主义早期的风格,同时受后印象主义尤其是塞尚画风影响,用笔大胆,造型简练,颇具雕塑感。在1929年首届全国美展上,蔡威廉的肖像画一鸣惊人,被认为可与林风眠并论。她于1931年春所作的巨幅肖像《秋瑾就义图》,将父亲的同乡战友、革命女侠秋瑾的形象首次呈现于画面,寄托了对中国第一代女性先驱者的感念。1936年,蔡威廉在南京福昌饭店创作的《奥地利跳郎》,被外交部以高价订购并用作国礼。

蔡威廉也是位非常好的老师,善于发现人才。有一次学生办展览,她一眼看中了吴冠中的作品,提出要用自己的油画,换他的一幅水彩画,这让年轻的吴冠中深受鼓舞,铭感终身。对当时的蔡威廉,吴冠中写道:“她没有在教室教过我,不相识,我只远远以尊敬的眼光看她。她是一个,经常着黑衣,体态优美,少言语,显得分外静穆、内向。”

为外孙取名“征明”

1937年“七七事变”后,杭州国立艺专为避战乱向内地迁移。首到浙江诸暨、丽水,继至江西贵溪,又迁湖南沅陵、长沙、贵州贵阳,直到云南昆明才勉强安顿下来。出生名门、一向衣食无忧的蔡威廉与丈夫一起,一直随校奔波,尝尽颠沛流离滋味。

而此时,蔡元培也因憎恨的消极抗战、腐败堕落,不愿与合作,自1937年底开始化名“周子余”,避居香港,与威廉夫妇的相聚更是少了。

1938年6月,在浙江小城丽水,威廉一家人暂安顿于当地一家火柴厂宿舍区,人口多,积蓄又将耗尽,蔡威廉迫不得已发电报向香港的父亲求助。然而,由于战乱,迟迟未收到父亲汇款。蔡威廉急得大病一场,幸得郁达夫、王映霞夫妇伸出援手,才解燃眉之急。

1938年12月,教育部下令将杭州艺专与国立北平艺专合并后,新任国立艺专校长滕若渠走马上任后裁减教师,目标主要是杭州艺专教师。威廉夫妇均未被续聘,只好离开国立艺专。不久,林文铮在西南联大外文系谋得教职,有了一些固定收入。但夫妇俩只一人有收入,拖着5个孩子,还有林文铮的母亲,蔡威廉又身怀六甲,境况十分艰难。

沈从文当时与威廉一家同住昆明北门街一个大杂院。对于威廉一家的生活困境,沈从文在《记蔡威廉女士》一文中写道:

“房子那么小,大杂院那么乱,想安静作画是不可能的。初来雇的本地佣人照例不合适,做不上3天又走了,作主妇的就得为一家大小8口做饭。5个孩子虽然都很乖,大的是个女孩,家务事还能帮点小忙,提提水,炉子里加加松毛,拌和稀饭,最忙的自然还是主妇。并且腹中孩子已显然日益长大,到四五月间即将生产。……常常看到这个做母亲的,着了件宽印花布袍子,背身向外,在那小锅小桌边忙来忙去。听我和孩子招呼时,就转身对我笑笑,我心中总觉得很痛苦。生活压在这个人身上,实在太重了,微笑就是一种无可奈何的表示。想用微笑挪开朋友和自己那点痛苦,却办不到。”

“悬心总是爹娘事,家信还期递送频。”在香港的蔡元培年已七旬,健康状况明显不如往年,但心里放不下的是威廉一家。他时常写信询问在昆明的境况,也打算从香港出发,转道越南,从陆路去昆明,与威廉一家会合,终因病体不支而难以成行。蔡元培还在信里告诉为即将出生的外孙取名的事,并写入日记:“为其子拟征明(从生于昆明着想)、六如(从行六着想)二名,嘱其选用。”后来,蔡威廉生下的这个小女儿就取名“林征明”,以示纪念。

撰祭文倾诉失女之痛

1939年5月5日,威廉在昆明家中生下第6个孩子。产后数小时,她在床前的白壁上用铅笔为新生女儿作肖像,并写上“家难!国难!”

也许是天妒英才,产后3天,蔡威廉不幸去世,年仅35岁。沈从文感叹道:“死的直接原因是产褥热,间接原因却是无书教,无收入,怕费用多负担不下,不能住医院生产,终于死去。人死了,剩下一堆画,6个孩子。”

迁居香港后的蔡元培忧伤国事,精神渐衰。威廉去世时,蔡元培正在病中,亲属好友为避免其过于伤悲,也暂时瞒着他。夫人周养浩还与女婿林文铮商量好,每次写信仍像往常一样落款“威廉附笔请安”。

将近2个月后,蔡元培在7月2日的昆明《益世报》上看到昆明举行“蔡威廉女士遗作展览会特刊”的新闻,报上又载《蔡威廉先生家属谢启》的消息,才知爱女确已离开人世,不禁悲从中来,含泪把“特刊”和“谢启”剪下珍藏起来,写下《哀长女威廉文》,回忆爱女的一生,倾诉失去爱女的刮骨之痛:

“近两月来,友人来函中,偶有述及报载威廉不幸之消息者,我于阅报时留意,竟未之见,而文铮来函,均为威廉附笔请安,疑诸友人所述之报误也。日内阅昆明寄来之《益世报》二十六日有女画家蔡威廉昨开追悼会新闻,二十七日有女画家遗作展览新闻,于是知我威廉果已不在人世矣,哀哉!亟以告养友(指蔡威廉继母周养浩)始知养友早已得此恶消息,且已电汇法币四百予文铮充丧用,饮泣数夜,但恐我伤心,相约秘不让我知耳。……威廉曾产四女一男,自沅陵迁昆明后,又产一女。不数日,竟以产后疾溘逝,哀哉!”

蔡元培与蔡威廉的父女深情,见证了那个特殊时代的风风雨雨,为世人留下了感人肺腑的亲情颂歌……

1912年9月蔡元培在德国与夫人黄仲玉(左一)、女儿威廉(左二)及儿子的合影。

Cai Yuanpei, his wife Huang Zhongyu (left 1), his daughter Weilian (left 2) and his son in September 1912 in Germany

画家威廉

This is a photo of Cai Weilian.

20世纪30年代在杭州国立艺术专科学校任西洋画系教授的蔡威廉

This picture of Cai Weilian was taken in the 1930s when she worked as a professor at National Art School of Hangzhou.

蔡元培浮雕(刘开渠作)

A relief sculpture of Cai Yuanpei, by Liu Kaiqu

绍兴蔡元培故居

The former residence of Cai Yuanpei in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province

北京大学内蔡元培雕像

A statue of Cai Yuanpei on the campus of Beijing University, Beijing

Father and Daughter: Love

By Shan Binxin

A villa-styled garden house near the entrance to Hangzhou Botanic Garden testifies to a father’s love for his eldest daughter. The house is called Maling Hill Residence. It was built in 1929 with 5,000 silver dollars from Cai Yuanpei (1868-1940) as a dowry for his eldest daughter Cai Weilian (1904-1939). The father paid 5,000 silver dollars out of his pocket for the daughter he loved most. Cai Yuanpei married three times and had six children. A boy died young. The remaining children grew up to be scientists except Cai Weilian, who became an artist and teacher of art.

Cai Weilian was the eldest daughter of Cai Yuanpei, but she was from his second marriage. Her name Weilian (威廉) was a Chinese way of saying and writing the German name Wilhelm. The name reflected the father’s desire in his young years to go to German for further studies and seek a way of saving China through modern education undertakings.

Cai Yuanpei in his 40s went to Germany in June 1907, but he did not bring his family along. He was away for five years and the daughter and the mother lived first in Shaoxing and then in Hangzhou. In 1911, Cai Yuanpei came back to China after the success of the 1911 Revolution. He became the first minister of education of the Republic of China in 1912, but resigned half a year later due to his revulsion at Yuan Shikai’s despotic rule. In September 1913, Cai Yuanpei went to Europe again. This time he took his wife and children. Weilian studied at a church school in Paris. In the winter of 1916, Cai Yuanpei was invited to be president of Beijing University. He brought his family back. The daughter attended Comte School, which was named after French philosopher Augueste Comte. It was at this school that Weilian began to take interest in art. When Cai Yuanpei went to Europe again in July 1923, the eldest daughter followed him to Belgium. After studying briefly at Royal Academy of Brussels, she went to Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, which is famous for oil painting.

Cai Weilian spent more than ten years in Europe as she accompanied her father on his European tours. She spoke a few European languages (which is widely considered in China as proof for talent and admired) and established herself as an artist.

In April 1928, the National Art School of Hangzhou was launched with the push from Cai Yuanpei, then President of Academia Sinica. Cai Weilian worked as a teacher at the school. Cai fell in love with Ling Wenzheng, dean and professor of the History of Western Art at the school. Learning about the romance, Cai Yuanpei was overjoyed. The couple was married in November 1928.

Cai Yuanpei was happy with his daughter’s marriage. In 1929, he managed to raise 5,000 silver dollars to build a house for the newlyweds. Lin Wenzheng had 2,000 in his savings. Altogether, the house cost about 7,000.

In a settled life, Cai Weilian began to blossom into a creative artist. Her portraits on display at the first national art exhibition in 1929 received great critical reviews. In 1931, she painted Qiu Jin, a pioneering martyr of the 1911 Revolution and native of her father hometown Shaoxing. In 1936, a painting by Cai Weilian was purchased by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a state gift.

As a teacher, Cai Weilian had sharp eye for talented students. At a student exhibition, she spotted a watercolor landscape and offered an oil painting of hers in exchange of the watercolor. The watercolor landscape was created by Wu Guanzhong. Wu Guanzhong (1919-2010) grew up to be one of the most important artists of China.

China went all out to resist Japanese Aggression in 1937. The war sent China into chaos and disaster, and sent the students and teachers of the art school to run all the way to southwestern China’s Yunnan Province. Cai Weilian suffered a great deal during the great escape. When the school finally settled down, it merged with the National Art School of Beiping. The new president got his priorities and fired some of those from the school of Hangzhou, including Cai Weilian and her husband. Cai Weilian got a job of teaching at Southwest Associated University and became the only breadwinner for her husband and five kids. Cai Yuanpei migrated to Hong Kong in 1937 and was unable to give financial help to the daughter.

Cai Weilian gave birth to a baby girl on May 5, 1939. Three days later, she died of puerperal fever. It was believed that her death was attributed to her difficult financial situation. She earned little so she delivered the baby at home to save money. She was survived by six children and bereaved husband.

Cai Yuanpei in Hong Kong was kept in the dark about his daughter’s death in Kunming for about two months. In July, he read a newspaper from Kunming, which reported about a memorial exhibition of paintings by late Cai Weilian. The heartbroken father died next year, his last words on deathbed were the name of the daughter he loved dearly.

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