Ashmolean Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

This lithograph was produced by Zhao Wuji (1920-2013). Early in the 1940s, Pang Xunqin (1906-1985) told Michael Sullivan (1916-2013) that he should particularly look out for a promising young student, Zhao Wuji. Pang’s instinct has been proven to be right. Zhao entered the National Art Academy, Hangzhou, in 1935, and studied under Lin Fengmian (1900-1991) and Pan Tianshou (1897-1971). He settled in Paris in 1948 and from 1950 to 1957 worked with Pierre Loeb (1897-1964). In 1984 Zhao was appointed Officer of the Legion d’Honneur. His 50 years in France have confirmed him as a modern master of the School of Paris. The year 1954 marks the beginning of Zhao’s transition to apparent abstraction. According to Zhao himself, his abstract paintings are more like landscapes without hills or rivers, rocks or trees. In his mature style, the calligraphic gesture, colour, tone, form, void, space, and movement, unite in a work of purity and energy. This painting was given by the artist to Khoan (1919-2003) and Michael around 1990.