Zao Wou-Ki

Zao Wou-Ki, born on February 1, 1920, in Beijing, China, and passing away on April 9, 2013, in Nyon, Switzerland, was a Chinese-French painter. He hailed from a family with distant imperial origins. In his youth, he moved with his family to Hangzhou, where he studied traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy under Wu Dayu at the Hangzhou School of Fine Arts. In 1948, Zao relocated to Paris, where he established himself in the art world. He was known for blending Eastern and Western artistic traditions, creating works that combined abstract expressionism with contemporary Chinese painting. During the 1950s and 1960s, his large-scale paintings gained recognition for their emotional depth. Throughout his career, Zao received numerous international accolades, including being named a Grand Officer of the Légion d'honneur in 2001.