Zhang Daqian was born in 1899 in Sichuan. He came from an art-loving family His mother first taught him painting. He copied lots of great paintings he could see. Shitao and Bada Sbanren influenced him a lot. In the early 1940s, Zhang studied the Buddhist wall paintings in Dunhuang for two years. This was important for his art growth.
Zhang's works are famous for his many painting styles. He could paint detailed portraits(肖像). He was creative and had his own style, but his art was based on Chinese tradition. People like his later works, especially his lively splashed-ink landscapes.
When Zhang was old, he mastered the art of "painting from heart to hand". In 1971, he chose this phrase for a stamp. This phrase has two meanings. First, Zhang was proud that he could paint nature's different things with various styles. He got this ability by copying old masters' works, making his art combine many historical styles. He also traveled a lot, which gave him more life experience to paint the world's beauty. Second, the phrase shows Zhang's belief that an artist should follow his heart to show "spirit harmony". This is an old idea about Chinese painting beauty Before painting, Zhang knew what he wanted to paint and what feeling he wanted to show. He knew how to amaze people with his paintings.
Zhang lived a long life and died at 83 in 1983. He was energetic. He painted many paintings in his life, about 500 per year on average.
In 2011, Zhang became the most popular Chinese artist at auction(拍卖会), more popular than Pablo Picasso. People still want his works very much.
