Chen BanDing & Tsau KeJia

Chen Banding (1876-1970) was an important modern Chinese painter and one of the founders of the Beijing Academy of Painting. He and Chen Shizeng were known as the "Two Chens." His art blended the dynamism of the Shanghai School with the composure of the Beijing School, creating the "Chen School" of small-scale freehand painting, which had a profound influence on the development of modern Chinese painting.

Chen Banding came from a poor family and began learning painting and calligraphy at the age of fifteen. In 1895, he went to Shanghai, where he met renowned artists such as Wu Changshuo, Ren Bonian, and Pu Hua, and was deeply inspired. After moving to Beijing in 1906, his reputation gradually grew. In 1918, he taught at the National Beiping Art Academy, actively promoting the study of Chinese painting. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he collaborated with Qi Baishi on "Pine, Rock, and Peony," which garnered international attention. In 1957, he co-founded the Beijing Academy of Painting, laying an important foundation for the inheritance and institutionalization of modern Chinese painting.

Cao Kejia (1906-1979) was a renowned modern Chinese painter specializing in meticulous brushwork, particularly famous for his cat paintings. He studied under masters such as Chen Shizeng, Wang Mengbai, Qi Baishi, and Chen Banding, deeply understanding the essence of traditional brush and ink techniques. He broke away from the fixed method of meticulous brushwork in traditional bird-and-flower painting, incorporating the techniques of "breaking the brush and layering colors" from landscape painting. This resulted in cats with rich layers of fur, a soft texture, and vivid, natural expressions, creating a unique style of cat painting. He served as a teacher at the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts and an official at the Arts and Crafts Company of the Ministry of Light Industry. He was a member of the China Artists Association and authored books such as "How to Paint Cats" and "Patterns of Song Dynasty Porcelain." His works possess high artistic and collectible value.