展望諸羅城 Looking Towards Zhuluo (Chiayi)
陳澄波 Chen Cheng-Po
1934
72.8 x91cm
油彩 畫布 Oil on Canvas
《展望諸羅城》是臺灣前輩畫家陳澄波於1934年自上海返臺後所創作的油畫。他佇立於地勢較高的嘉義公園，以俯瞰的視角，將故鄉諸羅（嘉義）市區的遼闊景致盡收眼底。畫布上巧妙地運用了Ｖ字型構圖，兩側繁茂且筆觸奔放的綠樹化作前景，不僅營造出深邃迷人的景深，更牽引著觀者的視線，一路綿延至遠方的市街。畫家以溫潤而飽滿的筆觸，將諸羅城那片濃綠的生機永恆地定格於畫布之上，訴說著對故土最深沉的眷戀。
這幅作品深刻記錄了日治時期，嘉義正邁向現代化與工業化的步伐。畫面中，挺立的電線桿成為現代化的隱喻，觀者的視線順著街道向右前方悠然延展，與遠處輕吐著黑煙的新式工廠煙囪遙相呼應。這份細膩，巧妙捕捉了舊時代裡，傳統農耕生活與初萌芽的工業文明交織時的悸動。
在技法表現上，陳澄波揮灑多層次的紅綠互補色塊與厚實油彩，生動地喚醒了自然與城市交融的蓬勃活力。這幅畫，不僅是藝術家為家鄉時代流轉所留下的珍貴紀實，更是一封用色彩寫給故鄉的情書，那宛如浪濤般翻湧的綠意與明快澄澈的色彩，寄託了他對這片土地充滿樂觀與奮進的深深祝福。
Looking Towards Zhuluo was created by Taiwanese artist Chen Cheng-Po in 1934, after his return to Taiwan from Shanghai. Painting from the elevated grounds of Chiayi Park, Chen adopted a bird’s-eye perspective to capture the expansive cityscape of his hometown, Zhuluo (present-day Chiayi). He skillfully employed a V-shaped structure for his composition, with lush trees rendered in bold, expressive brushstrokes framing both sides of the foreground. This not only creates a remarkable sense of depth but also guides the viewer’s gaze toward the distant streets unfolding across the city. Through warm, richly textured brushwork, Chen immortalized the vibrant greenery of Zhuluo on the canvas, expressing his profound affection for his homeland.
This painting also serves as a vivid record of Chiayi during the Japanese colonial period, when the city was undergoing rapid modernization and industrialization. The utility poles rising along the streets become subtle symbols of modern progress. As the viewer's eye follows the road toward the right, it eventually meets the silhouettes of modern factory chimneys emitting dark smoke in the distance. Such a thoughtful arrangement brilliantly captures a pivotal moment when traditional agricultural life and the emerging industrial age coexist and intertwine.
In terms of artistic technique, Chen employed layered complementary contrasts of reds and greens, together with thick, expressive oil paint, to evoke the dynamic vitality of both nature and the urban landscape. More than a faithful depiction of his hometown during a time of transformation, this painting is a heartfelt love letter to the place he cherished. Its rolling waves of verdant foliage and luminous, radiant colors convey Chen’s enduring optimism and hopes for the future of his homeland.