Author:Chang Hsing-Chuan

Size:Length:205 x Width:71 (cm)

Size description：118×60 (畫心)

Introduction：Chang Hsing-Chuan (1918-), courtesy name Yeh-chang, later changed his name to Chang To, and was also known by the pseudonym Master of Yangshih Tower. He was born in Wanjiawan, Lidian, between Xinyang and Luoshan in Henan Province, and was a Taiwanese ink painter. His father had a passion for antique calligraphy and paintings, while his mother excelled in painting and embroidery. Growing up in a family that appreciated literature and the arts, he was deeply influenced from an early age. After relocating to Xinyang, he entered the Kaifeng School of Art, where he studied under Li Chien-Chen, Tu Hsiao-Fu, and Chou Chung-Fu, gaining proficiency in both Chinese and Western art. He was later recommended for admission to the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, where he was mentored by Wang Sheng-Yuan and Liu Hai-Su. Through Wang’s introduction, he apprenticed under the renowned master Huang Pin-Hung. With the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, he joined the military in Wuhan and enrolled in the Anti-Japanese University. He later moved frequently due to the war, serving as a faculty member at Yu County Normal School, a lieutenant officer in the Political Department of the Second Army Group, and a war correspondent. During this time, he held two plein-air painting exhibitions in Loyang, compiled war-zone pictorials, and taught at Loyang Provincial High School. He also established a Chinese painting workshop in Xi’an and held exhibitions in Paochi, Tianshui, and Wuhan. In 1947, he moved to Taiwan via Nanking and taught sketching, design, Chinese painting, and watercolor at Taipei Women’s Normal College. He later transferred to Provincial Fuxing High School and Hualien Teachers College. In addition to exhibiting throughout Taiwan, he was also invited to showcase his work in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and China. He published “New Theories on Art” and several painting collections.

Chang Hsing-Chuan was a versatile artist whose reputation grew through numerous exhibitions during the war. After moving to Taiwan, he devoted himself to both artistic creation and talent cultivation. His skill in Chinese painting and plein-air sketching was effortless and refined, characterized by elegant composition. He specialized in landscapes, flowers and birds, and figurative subjects. His flower-and-bird paintings exhibited fluid brushwork, echoing the styles of Bada Shanren and the Shanghai School. His landscapes were executed with bold and expressive brushstrokes, often incorporating shading techniques, reflecting the influences of Huang Pin-Hung and Liu Hai-Su. His color palette was delicate, occasionally employing blue-and-green techniques, achieving a natural effect free from artificiality. With a rich life experience, Chang skillfully captured majestic mountains and rivers, harbors and villages, and international scenery in his paintings. His compositions were unique, blending modern perspectives with traditional aesthetics, successfully creating a distinctive artistic style.

Accession number:PT06902600