Cheng Shifa, a renowned master in Chinese ink paintings, most
famous for depicting the character in The True Story of Ah
Q, from Lu Xun's satirical novel, died of sickness at the age
of 82 in Shanghai's Huadong Hospital on Tuesday.
According to Xinmin net news reports, Cheng Shifa was
hospitalized in August 2005. Suffering from heart, lung and kidney
failures, the Chinese painting master died while in a coma at 6:58
pm Tuesday.
Born in Shanghai in 1921, Cheng Shifa was well-recognized as a
representative of "Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy", an important
modern school of Chinese painting and calligraphy which had been
developed from the rich tradition of Qing Dynasty paintings and
calligraphy, strongly touching upon reality as well.
As president of Shanghai's Academy of Chinese Painting, Cheng
Shifa had developed his great talent in serial paintings and
illustrations in China despite his equally big achievement in
figure paintings and bird and flower paintings.
Thanks to his unique styles and artistic quality, Cheng's
painting works have been among the very best sellers in China's
auction markets in recent years.
According to sources, the highest auction price of Cheng Shifa's
works reached a record of 11 million yuan, or about 1.4 million
dollars in 2005. Meanwhile, the price per square chi or every 13
square inches of Cheng Shifa's painting, rose from 7 thousand yuan
in 2000 to 47 thousand yuan, or nearly 6,200 dollars in May,
2007.
Cheng Shifa, who visualized the household
character in The True Story of Ah Q, died at the age of 82
in Shanghai on Tuesday, July 17, 2007. In the bottom right-hand
corner of the picture is his signature.??
The work of Cheng Shifa painted in the early
1980's, costing 2.86 million yuan, or about 38 thousand
dollars.
(CRI.cn July 18, 2007)
