Chang Dai-chien

Art Types involved-in: Chinese Painting

Chang Dai-chien Biography:

Chang Dai-chien (1899.5.10-1983.4.2, Chinese name 张大千), born in the city of Neijiang, Sichuan Province, was a contemporary Chinese painter of “splash-ink” traditional Chinese painting and calligrapher. He was honored with the title “Zhang in the South and Qi in the North” together with Qi Baishi, which means that they were the best two Chinese painters of the time. He was elected “The Best Contemporary Painter in the World” by the International Fine Arts Association in New York, and was awarded a gold medal. 

His works were purchased by the French government and many international institutions. Now, his works are protected by the Chinese government among the list of paintings that are restricted from exportation. After World War II, he held art exhibitions around the world, including many countries in Europe, Asia, South and North America. He has taught many students all over the country all his life, including Song Meiling, Jiang Jieshi’s (Chiang Kai-shek’s) wife. Together with Zhang Shanzi, they created the School of Daqian Painting, which is one of the comprehensive schools of painting in China. His works emphasized the integration of color, water, and ink. He created a new art style with the techniques of splashed-color and splashed-ink. 

The work “Peach Blossom Spring”, which he created in his late years, was sold at the Sotheby’s Spring Auctions in April, 5th, 2016 at the price of 240 million Hong Kong dollars (34.7 million US dollars). This again has broken the record of his works at auctions. 

Chang Dai-chien's Representative Works Exhibitions:
In 1919, he held his first solo art exhibition in Shanghai and made a great success.
In 1936, he held his solo exhibition in the Art Gallery of Burlington in Britain for the first time.
In 1944, “Exhibition of Chang Dai-chien’s Copies of Buddhist wall paintings in Dunhuang” was held in the city of Chengdu and the city of Chongqing successively.
In 1950, he held an art exhibition in New Delhi.
In 1955, “Exhibition of Chang Dai-chien’s Paintings and Calligraphies” was held in Japan. The curator of the Louvre Museum Sar attended the exhibition. 
In 1959, “Exhibition of Chang Dai-chien’s Traditional Chinese Paintings” was held in the National Museum of History in Taipei for the first time.
In 1963, “Exhibition of Chang Dai-chien’s Paintings” was held in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang.
In 1964, he held art exhibitions in Bangkok and Kolner.
In 1965, exhibition of his paintings was held in London.
In 1967, exhibitions of his latest works were held in Stanford University Museum, Laky Gallery in Carmel successively.
In 1968, exhibition of his paintings were held in Frank Caro Gallery in New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Chicago, and Museum of Fine Arts in Boston respectively.  
In 1974, he held an art exhibition in the Hong Kong City Hall.
In January, 1983, “Exhibition of Chang Dai-chien’s Paintings and Calligraphies” was held in the National Museum of Taiwan.

Graduation School: Kyoto University

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