Walking Emperor of Painting · Zhang Daqian's Wandering Later Life

Author: Wen Huan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: China's most legendary contemporary (Chinese painting) master, Xu Beihong once marveled, "A great Qian in five hundred years" (referring to Zhang Daqian). In 1949, he bid farewell to mainland China and traveled to South America, Europe, wandering across the world for half his life, leaving people in awe. This book focuses on Zhang Daqian's legendary journey after leaving mainland China in 1949, as he traveled the world, impacted the global art scene, and was honored with the title of "The Great Eastern Painter." With vivid and delicate brushwork, it narrates his life through numerous real stories and dozens of newly revealed private collection photographs, showcasing his open-minded attitude toward life—"rich enough to rival a nation, yet poor to the point of having no space to stand"—and his little-known romantic relationships with women beyond his four wives, such as those with women from North Korea and Japan. Additionally, it uncovers major historical mysteries and the origins of events, including his early "art forgery" and his three visits to Dunhuang, where he was accused of "destroying cultural relics."