Chinese Artist Chang Dai-chien: Bigger than Picasso?

Chinese artist Chang Dai-chien (also known as Zhang Daqian) may not have the kind of name recognition that Pablo Picasso enjoys, but in 2011 he ousted the Spaniard as the biggest auction earner in recent years. Chang’s works made $506.7 million in auction sales last year, according to Artprice, and two other Chinese artists were in the top five earners.

Here at the museum, we were excited to see Chang’s name in the news because one of his paintings, Clouded Mountain, will soon go on view in our China gallery.

Chang Dai-chien, Clouded Mountain, 1970, ink on paper. Gift of the artist.

As a preeminent painter of twentieth-century China, Chang integrated modern sensibilities into traditional Chinese painting. In 1956 he made his first pan-European tour, at which time his eyesight began to deteriorate. During this time, he unexpectedly developed his most innovative painting technique of splashed ink and color. Clouded Mountains exemplifies the splashed ink technique. The poem, inscribed by Chang, reads:

I was in the mood to paint in the middle of night
My wife and son were awakened from their dreams
Ink overturned and running out of control
Emerging from the summer clouds a celestial mountain

Chang’s painting will go on view on January 24.

8 Responses to “Chinese Artist Chang Dai-chien: Bigger than Picasso?”

  1. Nancy  on January 13th, 2012 at 4:20 pm

    Was one of his paintings up in the Shanghai exhibit? If so, it’s one I loved and I’m looking forward to seeing another work by this artist.

  2. janet  on January 18th, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    Hi Nancy, I wasn’t here when the Shanghai exhibit was on, but I have had a look at the list of works and I can’t see his name there. I have asked the curators, though – if I’m wrong one of them should get back to you here. Hopefully you still enjoy this one!

  3. Nancy  on January 19th, 2012 at 8:26 pm

    You know, I think the artist I was thinking of was Zheng Chongbin,also a master of Chinese ink. In any case, I am looking forward to seeing the new piece.

  4. janet  on January 20th, 2012 at 11:09 am

    Nancy, you’re absolutely right – Zheng Chongbin’s The Dimension of Ink No. 1 (2008) was in the Shanghai exhibition.

  5. cristina  on January 20th, 2012 at 11:23 am

    Hi Nancy -

    Here’s a little secret for our blog followers: the museum recently commissioned an original painting by Zheng Chongbin. The work will go on view in the Chinese painting gallery this March, directly across from Chang Dai-chien’s Clouded Mountain. So you’ll have a chance to experience the works of these two masters at the same time!

    I’m looking forward to it myself.

  6. JOjo  on February 14th, 2012 at 12:42 pm

    I love the art technique that was used. The splashed ink gives it more emotion and depth to the painting. It’s like a dark scene but also settling. It really inspires me to create an art piece with using the slash ink technique.
    Thank you. :)

  7. fx winarto  on April 21st, 2012 at 11:48 am

    I really like Asian watercolor painting. Technique of splashed ink and color developed by Chang Dai-chien is so special. Thank you.

  8. mirellah  on May 13th, 2012 at 1:42 pm

    As a person that knows not much about art, I found the information given in this website about Chang Dai-Chien extremely interesting. The splash ink technique that he portrays in his piece ‘Clouded mountains’ is a great piece.


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