Chang DaiChien
Taiwan, 1899-1983
Artist's works
Artist Profile
Introduction and Experience
Zhang Daqian (1899–1983), originally named Zhang Zhengquan, courtesy name Ji'ai, also known as Daqian Jushi, was born in Neijiang, Sichuan, with ancestral roots in Panyu, Guangdong. He was one of the most influential artists in 20th-century Chinese painting. He began studying painting at a young age and spent his early years in Kyoto, Japan, learning painting and textile dyeing techniques. After returning to China, he studied under Zeng Xi and Li Ruiqing, and was deeply influenced by Shi Tao and Bada Shanren. In his early years, he was renowned for his meticulous study and copying of ancient paintings, achieving a level of skill that was indistinguishable from the originals, earning him the title "Shi Tao reborn." From 1941 to 1943, Zhang Daqian traveled to Dunhuang to copy murals, absorbing the colors and compositions of Sui and Tang dynasty paintings, infusing his art with a majestic and powerful spirit, and opening up a creative vision that spanned from the Song and Yuan dynasties to the Sui and Tang dynasties.
Zhang Daqian's artistic career can be divided into three stages: the period of learning from the ancients, the period of transformation, and the period of innovation. In the period of learning from the ancients, he laid a solid foundation in brush and ink techniques through exquisite copying. In the period of transformation, influenced by the Dunhuang murals, his style shifted from literati elegance to grand and magnificent scale. In the period of innovation, he pioneered the splashed ink and color technique, fusing traditional Chinese ink painting with Western abstract spirit to create the ever-changing and magnificent "splashed ink landscapes," which became the pinnacle of his artistic career. Even in his later years, Zhang continued to create new works, perfectly combining tradition with his personal style. His works possess both abstract charm and figurative guidance, and are highly sought after by collectors and museums both at home and abroad.
Beyond his exceptional artistic achievements, Zhang Daqian also pioneered the Chinese art market with his unique free-spirited personality and business acumen. He actively organized exhibitions and exchanges with international artists, elevating the global standing of Chinese painting. He lived in numerous countries, including India, Argentina, Brazil, the United States, and Taiwan. In his later years, he built the Maya Abode in Taipei, a residence combining the beauty of a garden and a dwelling, which he donated to the National Palace Museum after his death to establish a memorial hall. Zhang Daqian was a prolific artist, producing an average of approximately 500 works per year. He was not only a master of traditional Chinese painting but also the originator of splashed-ink landscape painting. The value of his works has repeatedly reached new heights, making him a legendary master in the history of modern Chinese ink painting.
Exhibitions and Awards
"The Formosa Era: A Century of Art Construction in Taiwan" 2025, Tainan Museum of Fine Arts, Tainan, Taiwan
"Silhouettes of a Master: A Grand Exhibition Commemorating Zhang Daqian's 120th Birthday," National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan, 2019.
The "A Vast Land of Rivers and Mountains in My Dreams—A Commemorative Exhibition Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of Zhang Daqian's Passing Across the Taiwan Strait" toured from 2013 to 2014, visiting Shenzhen, Sichuan, Jilin, and the National Museum of History in Taiwan, China and Taiwan.
"Zhang Daqian 110 - A Commemorative Exhibition of Calligraphy and Painting" 2009, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
"Joint Exhibition of Paintings by Zhang Daqian and Picasso", National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan, 1998
Exhibition of "Lushan Scroll" in 1983, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
"Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Paintings," Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 1982
"New Trends in Chinese Painting" Exhibition, 1981, Musée de l'Asiatique, Paris, France
"Chang Ta-Chien's Recent Works Exhibition," 1981, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan.
Exhibition of Works by Three Masters of Modern Chinese Painting, 1979: Zhang Daqian, Pu Xinyu, and Huang Junbi, Hong Kong
"Zhang Daqian's Return to China Painting Exhibition," 1976, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan.
"Contemporary Chinese Painting Exhibition," Seoul, South Korea, 1975
"Zhang Daqian Painting Exhibition," 1974, Tokyo Central Museum, Tokyo, Japan.
"Zhang Daqian's Recent Works Exhibition," Los Angeles, USA, 1973.
"Zhang Daqian's Retrospective Exhibition of Chinese Paintings" 1973, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
1972 "Forty Years Retrospective Exhibition", San Francisco, USA
Solo exhibition, Cologne, Germany, 1970
Special Exhibition of Dunhuang Mural Copies, 1969, National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Special exhibition of "Ten Thousand Miles of the Yangtze River" in 1968, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan.
Solo exhibition, 1967, Stanford University Museum, California, USA
"Chang Ta-Chien's Recent Works Exhibition," 1967, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan.
Solo exhibition, 1965, London, UK
Solo exhibition in 1963, USA
São Paulo Biennale, 1962, São Paulo, Brazil
Zhang Daqian Painting Exhibition, Hong Kong, 1962
1962 "Zhang Daqian Invitational Exhibition", City Hall Museum, Hong Kong
The 1960 "Recent Works by Zhang Daqian" touring exhibition took place in Paris, Brussels, Athens, Madrid, France, Belgium, Greece, and Spain.
"Zhang Daqian's Chinese Painting Exhibition," 1958, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan.
Solo exhibition, 1956, Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville, Paris, France.
"Zhang Daqian's Exhibition of Copying Dunhuang Stone Kiln Murals," Tokyo, Japan, 1956.
"Zhang Daqian's Copying of Dunhuang Stone Cave Wall Calligraphy Exhibition," 1956, Musée de l'Orientale, Paris, France.
"Zhang Daqian's Recent Works Exhibition," 1956, Louvre Museum, Paris, France.
Solo exhibition of calligraphy and painting, 1955, Tokyo, Japan.
Solo exhibition, 1953, Taipei, Taiwan
Solo exhibition in China, New Delhi, India, 1950
"Zhang Daqian's Recent Works Exhibition," Hong Kong, 1950.
Solo exhibition, 1949, Taipei, Taiwan
Solo exhibition in 1948, Shanghai and Hong Kong, China and Hong Kong.
"Zhang Daqian's Travelogue Painting Exhibition in Kangba, 1947", Chengdu, China
1946 Modern Art Exhibition, Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France
Joint exhibition in 1946, Sennage Museum, Paris, France
Joint exhibition of paintings by Zhang Daqian and Yu Feian, 1945, Zhongshan Park, Beijing, China.
"Zhang Daqian's Exhibition of Copies of Dunhuang Murals," Chengdu and Chongqing, China, 1944.
"Zhang Daqian's Recent Works Exhibition," Chengdu, China, 1943.
"Zhang Daqian's Exhibition of Copies of Dunhuang Murals," Lanzhou, China, 1943.
"Zhang Daqian's Recent Works Exhibition," 1941, Sino-Soviet Cultural Association, Chongqing, China
Solo exhibition in 1939, Chongqing and Chengdu, China.
"Exhibition of Paintings by Zhang Shanzi and Zhang Daqian" (1939), Musée National des Exotica, Paris, France.
"Exhibition of Collaborative Works by Zhang Shanzi, Zhang Daqian, and Their Brothers," Chongqing, China, 1938
Solo exhibition, 1937, Zhongshan Park, Beijing, China
"Zhang Daqian's New Paintings Exhibition," 1936, Nanjing and Shanghai, China
"Zhang Shanzi and Zhang Daqian Fan Painting Exhibition," 1936, Tianjin and Beijing, China.
"Relief for the Poor: A Joint Exhibition of Paintings by Zhang Daqian and Yu Feian," Beijing, China, 1936.
Works exhibited in 1935, Burlington Gallery, UK.
His work was exhibited at the "Exhibition of Modern Chinese Painting" in 1934 at the Moscow State Historical Museum, Russia.
His work was exhibited at the "Exhibition of Modern Chinese Painting" in Paris, France in 1933.
Solo exhibition, Shanghai, China, 1924