Chongqing—The Hong Art Museum's "Masters of the Ba-Shu Region" exhibition presents about 30 artworks by Zhang Daqian and about 70 works by Chen Zizhuang.

Ba-Shu region centers upon Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality in southwest China. With a history dating back more than 3,000 years, this region is considered one of the cradles of Chinese civilization. "Zhang Daqian and Chen Zizhuang are the archetypes of many artists who emerged in the region. And the exhibition features masterpieces from their prime time, stretching from the 30s to 50s in the twentieth century," said Tian Yuan, founder of the art museum.

Born in Sichuan, Zhang Daqian was one of the twentieth century's most prolific and versatile Chinese artists. Originally known as a traditionalist painter, he was also renowned as a modern impressionist and expressionist painter and became one of the most gifted master forgers.

In 2011, Zhang surpassed Pablo Picasso, a contemporary and his friend, to become a top auction earner. In 2022, Zhang's painting "Landscape after Wang Ximeng" fetched 370 million HKD (approximately $47 million) and became his most expensive work ever auctioned off.

Lotus is one of the motifs of Zhang Daqian's art life. (Photo/Hong Art Museum)

Chen Zizhuang, born in Chongqing, was a self-taught artist of classic Chinese painting. He is renowned for his revolutionary inheritance of the literati painting, a favored form of the Chinese scholar-painters who valued personal erudition and expression over literal representation. Chen used simple, evocative strokes to depict plants growing in the wild, endowing his paintings with vitality and an unrestrained spirit.

Chen Zizhuang depicts plants growing in the wild in this painting. (Photo/Wang Yantong)

"The exhibition is presented as a tribute to the two great artists and an in-depth exploration of the Ba-Shu culture. And we hope visitors appreciate the distinctive charm of Ba-Shu culture through the artworks," said Tian Yuan.

The exhibition runs until June 17.

(The original author is Guo Shuyu From Liangjiang New Area Media Center)