Chang Dai-chien Master of the Three Perfections
March 2, 2001 - March 2, 2001The great scholar painter, Chang Dai-chien (1899 – 1983) is considered to be one of the most interesting, eccentric, well-traveled, skilled, innovative and prolific artists in the long history of Chinese painting. He was a master of the three scholarly perfections ? painting, calligraphy and poetry. He was also one of the world?s greatest forgers. Many major museums in the world think they have ancient Chinese paintings in their col-lection, which are now turning out to be forgeries made by Chang Dai-chien. Even the top scholars in the world argue over these paintings which is an attestation to the incredible skill of the artist. No one in Chinese painting history has had the skill of Chang Dai-chien.
Approximately 70 paintings by Chang will be on display, on loan from the Taiwan National Museum of History and private collectors in Taiwan, Canada and the US. A retrospective exhibition of his work is a virtual survey of the history of Chinese paintings as it reflects styles from almost every era. Chang Dai-chien lived his entire life in pursuit of art. He is remembered as a towering figure in Chinese painting and as the last of the great literati painters, a true renaissance man.