Wu Zuoren
Chinese 1908 - 1997

Wu Zuoren was born in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China, in 1908 and died in 1997. He started his studies at the Department of Fine Arts of Shanghai University in 1927. The prominent Chinese painter Xu Behong recommended him for studies in Europe, and Wu studied painting in Paris in 1929 and in 1935 graduated from Belgium's Royal Institue of Fine Arts, honored with Laureate Student. He returned to China in 1935 and taught at the Central University, then located in Nanjing. In 1946 Wu and Xu Behong took over leadership of the Beiping State Academy of Arts, where he was professor and dean of studies. He opened painting exhibitions in Britain, France and Switzerland in 1947. His Grazing on Tibetan Grassland in traditional style of bruch work won the Gold Medal at the Paris Grand Exhibition in 1982. He won a French literary and art order of honor in 1985, and in 1988 he was honored with a top level Belgian royal honorary order.

He served as president and honorary president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts of China and president of the Chinese Artists Association. His masterpieces include Foziling Reservoir, Poritrait of Qi Baishi, Sanmen Gorge on Yellow River, and many others. His oil painting Battlefield Chrysanthemum All the More Fragrant fetched an international record price for his works of RMB¥3.52-million (equal to US$425,634) in an auction in Beijing on July 12, 2003. He designed numerous postage stamps for China and products for Unicover.