Personal Life of Zhang Chongren Memorial Hall

Mr. Zhang Chongren, a master of sculpture art, devoted his life to studying sculpture and painting techniques and persistently pursued the true meaning of art. He has made great achievements in sculpture creation and art education and is famous both at home and abroad. He can be called one of the founders of contemporary sculpture art in my country. one. Mr. Zhang Chongren's artistic achievements have international influence, and he has made outstanding contributions to cultural and artistic exchanges between China and foreign countries. Setting up a memorial hall in Mr. Zhang Chongren’s hometown, Qibao Town, Minhang District, Shanghai, is indeed a charitable act with far-reaching significance. Showing Mr. Zhang Chongren’s artistic life for nearly a century and carrying forward Mr. Zhang Chongren’s spirit of patriotism, self-improvement, and ever-reaching artistic heights can inspire future generations to make unremitting efforts to develop and prosper socialist culture. (1907-1931)

Zhang Chongren, his father Zhang Shaofu (Shaopu), was a wood carving artist; his mother Yin Lianzi was good at embroidery. Influenced by his parents, he loved painting since he was a child. When I was in primary school, I ranked first in all drawing exams. At the age of 14, he entered Tushanwan Press and studied photography and platemaking. During this period, he learned sketching and French under the personal instruction of the Irish monk An Jingzhai; he also studied calligraphy and classical literature under the guidance of Ma Xiangbo, a foreign prince, thus laying a solid artistic foundation. 18 years old, painting scenes at Xujiahui Repertory Theater and Hehe Film Studio. At the age of 21, he served as editor of "Picture Times" and taught painting part-time. That year, he, Lang Jingshan and others founded the Shanghai Chinese Society Photography Association. His watercolor sketches and other works have been exhibited and sold on many occasions. It shows the artistic talent of young Zhang Chongren. (1931-1935)

In September 1931, on his way abroad, Zhang Chongren was shocked to hear about the "September 18th" Incident. He was filled with anger and determined to study abroad and achieve success in order to serve the motherland. In October of the same year, he was admitted to the advanced oil painting class of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Belgium, and later transferred to the advanced sculpture class. His oil paintings, sculpture studies, competition works and graduation works have been ranked first for many times, and he has won the gold medal of King Albert of Belgium, the medal of the Brussels Municipal Government and the "Three Education Medals" issued by the Chinese Embassy in Belgium. In 1934, he assisted the Belgian cartoonist Hergé in the compilation and drawing of "The Blue Lotus", which exposed the Japanese militarism's ambition to invade China and introduced Chinese civilization. Since then, "China Zhang" has become a household name in France and France.

In July 1935, Zhang Chongren declined the generous prize and declined naturalization in Belgium. He bid farewell to Brussels and began an art investigation trip that lasted for more than three months, traveling to France, Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy and other countries. In early November of the same year, Zhang Chongren returned to his motherland. In February 1936, the "Zhang Chongren Returning to China Exhibition" was held at the Shanghai Sino-French Association, causing a sensation. Cai Yuanpei, Xu Beihong, Liu Haisu and others wrote congratulatory inscriptions. In April of the same year, Zhang Chongren founded China's first private painting and sculpture teaching studio, Chongren Studio, on Laoshenfu Road (today's Hefei Road) in Shanghai. He has trained more than 300 students, with disciples at home and abroad; and created a large number of watercolor paintings, His oil paintings and sculptures, especially the statues of celebrities such as Ma Xiangbo, Yu Youren and Feng Yuxiang, have attracted social attention.

After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, Zhang Chongren created oil paintings such as "The Survivors" and "Heart of Compassion" to accuse the Japanese army of invading China. His famous sculpture "Love and Responsibility" implies the profound meaning of "Every man is responsible for the rise and fall of a country."

In 1946, Zhang Chongren made a statue of Qi Baishi. Old man Baishi happily wrote "The God of Clay Sculpture" and inscribed it as a gift to Zhang Chongren. After the founding of New China, Zhang Chongren expressed his praise for the new society with a sculpture "Liberation" of a figure breaking free from chains and a majestic group sculpture "Proletarian Revolution Creates the People's Republic of China". During his tenure at Shanghai Art College, Jiaotong University and Shanghai Oil Sculpture Institute, he cultivated a large number of artistic talents, created a large number of artistic works that reflected real life, and published a series of translations and selected works. His outstanding artistic achievements were praised by the fine arts. recognition from the industry and praise from the public.

During the "Cultural Revolution", Zhang Chongren was impacted, but he did not stop his artistic exploration and sculpture creation practice. In 1973, he created the sculpture "Pity His Young Son" in Rentun Village, Qingpu. In 1975, he created the sculpture "Friendship First" for the Shanghai Ten Thousand People Stadium. Zhang Chongren was a member of the Chinese Artists Association, a director and deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai Branch of the Artists Association, a member of the National Urban Sculpture Art Committee, a member of the fifth and sixth Shanghai CPPCC, and the first, second and third people's representatives of Luwan District. (1981-1998)

In March 1981, Zhang Chongren went to Brussels at the invitation of Belgian National Television and Hergé Studio, and was warmly welcomed as a state guest. He reunited with his best friend Hergé after 47 years of separation and visited his alma mater. Queen Fabiola of Belgium came to Hergé's studio in person to meet with Zhang Chongren and Hergé. After that, Zhang Chongren visited and gave lectures in Switzerland, the Netherlands and France.

In 1987, the French Minister of Culture signed a contract with Zhang Chongren to produce a large portrait of Hergé for the International Comic Book Museum, a statue of President Mitterrand and a statue of musician Debussy in the Elysee Palace. Cause a stir. News media in France, Belgium, Switzerland and other countries reported on the incident, made comments and conducted exclusive TV interviews. In the same year, Zhang Chongren became a French citizen and settled in Paris.

In early 1992, Zhang Chongren was invited by the Shanghai Municipal People's Government to return to Shanghai and sculpt a statue of Nie Er called "Get Up", which was completed in the same year. In 1994, Zhang Chongren erected a statue of Deng Xiaoping. In order to welcome the return of Hong Kong in 1996, Zhang Chongren specially created a model of the sculpture "Returning to Zhao Completely", which fully expressed his patriotism.

On October 8, 1998, Zhang Chongren died of illness in Paris, France. A generation of master sculptors is buried in the Notre Dame Cemetery in Paris. France, Belgium, Switzerland, Monaco and other countries, the Chinese Embassy in France and the China Artists Association all expressed their condolences.