Chen Dayu (21 May 1912 – 1 June 2001) (), was a Chinese

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

calligrapher Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as " ...

, seal carver and educator.

Early life and education

Chen was born in Chaoyang,

Guangdong Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020 ...

province, as Chen Hanqing. In spite of his impoverished childhood, he developed an abiding passion for artistic pursuits. After studying under Zhu Lesan, Zhu Wenyun and Wang Geyi, he graduated from Shanghai Art College in 1935.

Career

In 1946, Chen went to Beijing to become an apprentice of artist

Qi Baishi Qi Baishi (1 January 1864 – 16 September 1957) was a Chinese painter, noted for the whimsical, often playful style of his works. Born to a peasant family from Xiangtan, Hunan, Qi taught himself to paint, sparked by the Manual of the Must ...

to learn the art of freehand flower-and-bird paintings. During the apprenticeship, he changed his name to Chen Ao as a tribute to his instructor. Two years later, he lectured at the Shanghai Academy of Art until he left in 1950 to become a Professor of Art at the

Nanjing Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), Postal Map Romanization, alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu Provinces of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and t ...

Institute of Art. He also began a long side career as a flower-and-bird painter, calligrapher and a seal carver, but he's best known for his numerous paintings of a rooster. In 1980, his work was displayed at the

Jiangsu Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its c ...

Museum of Art and the following year at the Shanghai Museum of Art. Chen was adept at both Chinese style and western painting. In his later years he developed a distinctly personal artistic style. His series of rooster paintings are celebrated worldwide.

Death

After retiring to Nanjing, Chen died on 1 June 2001.

Exhibitions

Chen's work has been featured in various exhibitions at the

Asian Art Museum of San Francisco The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco – Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture"About"
Asian Art Museum website. ...

over years. Three major collections of Chen’s paintings have been published: in 1948, in 1982, and in Japan in 1988. A major exhibition centenary exhibition, included 140 of his

inkwash Ink wash painting ( zh, t=水墨畫, s=水墨画, p=shuǐmòhuà; ja, 水墨画, translit=suiboku-ga or ja, 墨絵, translit=sumi-e; ko, 수묵화, translit=sumukhwa) is a type of Chinese ink brush painting which uses black ink, such as tha ...

paintings, toured China in 2011-13.Guangzhou International: Chen Dayu's 100th Birthday Art Exhibition
Accessed 17 August 2014

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chen, Dayu Republic of China painters Painters from Guangdong 1912 births 2001 deaths Republic of China calligraphers People's Republic of China calligraphers People from Chaoyang District, Shantou Educators from Guangdong