Changshi Wu Sold at Auction Prices

Painter, Calligrapher

(b Zhejiang Province, China, 1844; d Shanghai, 1927) Chinese Painter and Calligrapher. Wu Changshi was born into a modest but scholarly Confucian family. He was devoted to his studies of the classics and began the track of government-administered exams that would lead him to higher education. However, in 1861 he was forced to flee his home during the violent Taipei rebellion. Wu turned to the peace and nostalgia of traditional Chinese painting with ink and colors. He revived a number of ancient scripts and developed his own style of calligraphy, which became much sought after. He was also renowned for his skill at traditional seal carving. Wu’s calligraphy was often accompanied by a flower motif; he was most famous for his depictions of plum blossoms. Wu’s work was influential to many Chinese painters who came after him; particularly those of the romantic Shanghai School, who glorified the artist as an individual and most valued art created purely for the sake of art.