- Wu Zuoren
Wu Zuoren (Chinese: 吴作人; 1908 - 1997) was a traditional Chinese painter. A native of Jing County,
Anhui , he was born inSuzhou ,Jiangsu Province . He practiced both traditional Chinese ink painting and European oil painting.Curriculum Vitae [Ville de Paris, "Wou Tso-Jen ou la modernité dans la tradition de 'encre / Siao Chou-Fang et les fleurs de Chine", Musée Cernnuschi, 1987 ISBN 2-905 197-09-9]
*1908: Wu Zuoren is born in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
*1927: Wu Zuoren studies in the department of fine arts at Shanghai Art University where his ability is recognized by
Xu Beihong . Later, he transfers to the department of fine arts at Nanguo Academy of Arts.*1928: Wu Zuoren follows Xu Beihong to study at the National Central University (renamed
Nanjing University in 1949).*1930 - 1935: Wu Zuoren travels abroad to study in Europe. He returns to China in 1935. [ [http://www.china.org.cn/english/culture/80342.htm Wu Zuoren's Art Show Lauded in Paris] china.org.cn]
*1939: Wu Zuoren's first wife, Li Na, a Belgian national, dies at an early age when they are at Central University, due to postpartum depression complicated by the bombardment of Chongqing by Japanese war planes.
*1949: With the establishement of the PROC, Wu Zuoren joins The Chinese Artists Association.
*1949-1953: Wu Zuoren becomes a professor and the first provost of
China Central Academy of Fine Arts . He beomes the vice principal, principal, and finally, an honorary principal of that school.*1953: Wu Zuoren is elected Vice-President of The Chinese Artists Association in 1953.
*1954: Wu Zuoren becomes a permanent member of the National People's Congress in 1954.
*1958: Wu Zuoren becomes The Director of the Central Academy of Beaux-Arts.
*1963: Wu Zuoren sets out to change the face of China when presented with the opportunity to design a three postage stamps for the
PROC . Known for his ink paintings ofyak s and camels in western China [Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, "Later Chinese Painting and Calligraphy 1800-1950" with C.Y. Watt, Random House, New York, 1987, vol II p. 327-329, ISBN 0-394-55463-9] Wu Zuoren's "Giant Panda" stamps first issued in 1963 establish theGiant Panda as the emblem of the new China. A second series of six "Giant Panda" stamps by Wu Zouren was issued in 1973, and a more elaborate "Giant Panda" edition based on his ink paintings produced in 1985.For the remainder of his life, Wu Zuoren remains a prominent member of the central committee of the
China Democratic League , Chairman of the Chinese Artists Association, and a member of the standing committee of theNational People's Congress . Wu Zuoren's second wife, Xiao Shufang, was an artist known for her flower paintings. Wu Zuoren founded and endowed "Wu Zuoren International Foundation of Fine Arts". [ [http://www.china.org.cn/english/culture/80342.htm Wu Zuoren's Art Show Lauded in Paris] china.org.cn]*1997: Wu Zuoren dies in Beijing.
References
External links
* [http://www.wuzuoren.org.cn/ Official website of Wu Zuoren International Foundation of Fine Arts]
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