Zao Wou-Ki was born in Beijing in 1921. Tsao Wou-Ki (Wou-Ki being his first name) became Zao Wou-Ki when he came to France. The ancient Tsao family goes back to the Song Dynasty (10th-12th century A.D.). Every year the family gathered to celebrate the birthday of their famous ancestor, the King Swallow and Nightingale, brother of the emperor. On that occasion the family treasures were displayed: two paintings, one by Chao Mong-Fu (1254-1322) famous for his paintings of horses on paper and silk, the other by Mi Fei (1051-1107) who particularly fascinated the young Zao Wou-Ki.
Zao Wou-Ki went to school in Nantung, a small town north of Shanghai, where his father worked as a banker. He was considered a gifted pupil and he took great interest in literature and in Chinese and world history. From the age of ten he drew and painted constantly—sometimes reproached by his father but his urge was never fully thwarted—his father was also an amateur painter who once won a prize at an Panama art exhibition. Only his mother was less enthusiastic and became furious when her son daubed paint over the plates of her 17th century dinner service. The family was one of intellectuals who appreciated painting and Wou-Ki would learn the traditional art of calligraphy from his grandfather.
In 1935, at the age of fourteen, Zao Wou-Ki was admitted to the School of Fine Arts at Hangzhou where for six years he studied life drawing, the theories of calligraphy, western perspectives and, in the last year, oil painting. Zao Wou-Ki did not wait for the sixth year to work in oil paints and created paintings at home for his own satisfaction. Despite the traditional teachings in accuracy and realism, he sought to capture the broad outlines and essence in his compositions.
Zou Wou-Ki was appointed lecturer at the School of Fine Arts and in 1941 held his first exhibition. His father was the first to buy a picture, thus enabling his son to repay the money he had borrowed from him. According to Wou-Ki “To tell the truth, the pictures I showed were strongly influenced by Matisse and Picasso. My harlequins recalled the ‘Blue Period’, my statue women the ‘Greek Period’.” Indeed it was in the works of Cezanne, Matisse and Picasso that Zao Wou-Ki would find the vision he considered closest to nature. Inspired by his collection of postcards of reproduced French paintings and full page illustrations of artworks in American magazines, he developed his artistic approach.
He designed exhibitions in Chungking of painters who wanted to break away from tradition and these were well received by intellectuals and young painters. In 1947, one year after the end of Japanese occupation, the twenty-seven year old Zao Wou-Ki decided to leave for Paris—with his father’s blessings. He and his wife sailed from Shanghai in early 1948 and after a voyage of 36 days, arrived in Paris where Zao Wou-Ki spent his first afternoon at the Louvre.
He settled into a studio near that of Alberto Giacometti; took French lessons; and visited and saw everything he could. It was in Paris that he believed he found his true personality and further developed his love of Impressionism. The City inspired him and he easily frequented in an avant garde circle of international artists, writers and intellectuals. In February 1949 he was awarded first prize in a drawing competition and, not fully understanding the language yet, had to be nudged out of his seat by the man sitting next to him. It was at this time that he first learned the technique of lithography at the Atelier Desjobert. The medium delighted him--“The idea of throwing colour on a large white stone, like on China paper, pleased me…” and his experiments became lithographic masterpieces.
A turning point on his path of self-discovery came in 1951 in Switzerland when he discovered the painting of Paul Klee. Zao Wou-Ki was overwhelmed, saying “How could I be ignorant of this painter whose knowledge and love of Chinese painting is so obvious? From these small signs drawn on a ground with a multitude of spaces, a dazzling world emerges. So, Occidental painting, of which I had a pure example before me, made me see something that I already had knew so well and that had a restrictive influence on me. ” Zao Wou-Ki had unknowingly come full circle to the days when his grandfather ardently taught the young boy calligraphy—carefully drawing out each character with great passion and emotion. Many of his later works and graphic works would incorporate india ink.
Zao Wou-Ki travelled extensively after 1950 visiting Italy, Spain, the United States, Japan, Greece, Thailand, China, Switzerland and England among other countries. He was exhibited widely, received worldwide commissions and his international reputation was thus secured. Zao Wou-Ki would marry twice more and befriend artists such as Rufino Tamayo and Joan Miro, as well as, architect I.M. Pei. In 1993 he was appointed Commander of the Legion of Honour by the President of France and the following year was awarded the Premium Imperial Award of Painting in Japan.
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