Prior to 1976, Chang Dai-chien had lived for many years outside of China. However, he always maintained close contact with Taiwan, often returning to the island to hold exhibitions of his paintings, which he also often donated. Since many old friends such as Chang Chun were living in Taiwan, combined with Chang Dai-chien's declining health, he took the advice of friends and started to seriously consider living in Taiwan. He finally settled on a small plot of land in Waishuangxi not far from the National Palace Museum and had the Abode of Maya built there as the studio-residence of his later years. The fine surroundings and affection of friends in Taiwan, together with the opening and rise of the local art scene, led to a relatively stable and active lifestyle that undoubtedly was conducive to a new stage in Chang's career, allowing him to continue creating masterpieces into his old age. Here, Chang Dai-chien's "Panoramic View of the Suao-Hualien Roadway" and "Morning View at Alishan" capture the alluring beauty of Taiwan's scenery, while "Letter to the Wife of Chang Chi-cheng on Pineapple Paper" shows how much he appreciated and promoted this kind of paper. Such works demonstrate Chang Dai-chien's affection for and engagement with the land of Taiwan, most certainly offering viewers a greater understanding of how his heart was with Taiwan and the impressions he had of this "Ilha Formosa."
Panoramic View of the Suao-Hualien Roadway
- Chang Dai-chien (1899-1983), Republican period
- Handscroll, ink and colors on paper, 35.6 x 286.8 cm
Chang Dai-chien made two trips along the Suao-Hualien Roadway on the east coast of Taiwan, one in 1960 and the other in 1964. Both times he encountered rain and fog, preventing him from getting an overall view of the scenery. This handscroll is thus based in part on the description found in a ballad entitled "Journey to Suao and Hualien" by Chang Wei-han (1886-1979) combined with Chang Dai-chien's own impressions to complete it. Only in 1965, after Chang Dai-chien had returned to Brazil to rest for a few months, did he find the time to do this painting for his old friend Wei-han, becoming a famous masterpiece among his works on traveling along the Suao-Hualien Roadway. For the above reasons, this handscroll with long inscriptions by Chang Dai-chien takes a more lyrical approach to the scenery, showing the winding highway and precipitous cliffs with tunnels enshrouded in mist. Below are roiling waves crashing onto the shore, the view at the left fading into the clouds and mists.
The Kuomintang Party History Committee donated this painting to the National Palace Museum.
The Kuomintang Party History Committee donated this painting to the National Palace Museum.
Morning View at Alishan
- Chang Dai-chien (1899-1983), Republican period
- Framed, ink and light colors on paper, 37.5 x 45 cm
Chang Dai-chien considered the "dawn colors at Alishan in Chiayi as a wonder of the country and even the world," which is why he often did paintings of the scenery at this popular tourist attraction in Taiwan. Chang heaped the same praise on the Suao-Hualien Roadway, going so far as to say it is "the foremost scenery in the country and even in the world." The painting here of morning view at Alishan was done in 1965, in which Chang's technique of splashed ink had already matured considerably. The contrast between light and dark is quite strong, the ink tones varied and animated to create a powerful and mesmerizing manner of expression.
This work is from the collection of the National Museum of History.
This work is from the collection of the National Museum of History.
Figure in a Splashed Ink Landscape
- Chang Dai-chien (1899-1983), Republican period
- Hanging scroll, ink and colors on paper, 149.470.8 cm
This painting illustrates a poem written by Fu Tseng-hsiang (1872-1949) on a rock-splitting pine tree at the Qingliang ("Pure Coolness") Terrace at Huangshan; also known as the Yellow Mountains, it is a range in China renowned for its pines, craggy peaks, and clouds. Chang Dai-chien did several paintings on this type of subject matter, this one being a figure-and-landscape representation in splashed ink and colors from 1967, when he was still living in Brazil. In March of 1976, before returning to reside in Taiwan, Chang did another inscription and presented the work to Mr. Chin Yao-hui at the Directorate General of Telecommunications in Taipei.
This work was kept thereafter at the corporate headquarters of Chunghwa Telecom and has now been entrusted to the National Palace Museum.
This work was kept thereafter at the corporate headquarters of Chunghwa Telecom and has now been entrusted to the National Palace Museum.
Scenery in Nitang
- Chang Dai-chien (1899-1983), Republican period
- Hanging scroll, ink and colors on paper, 118 x 60 cm
Chang Dai-chien did this painting in March of 1979 as a gift for the ninetieth birthday of Ho Ying-chin (1890-1987), a prominent general and former Minister of Defense for the Republic of China. It was done based on a description provided by Ho himself, and Chang carefully arranged the composition of the work for a spellbinding journey through the landscape. A few days later, Chang also presented a blue-and-green landscape "done in a sketchy manner of Miaogao Terrace and Qianzhang Cliff" to celebrate the birthday of the ROC president, Chiang Ching-kuo. In the following month, Chang Dai-chien at the age of 81 would suffer heart problems and be hospitalized. At the recommendation of friends such as Chang Chun, Chang Dai-chien decided to bequeath his collection of ancient painting and calligraphy as well as his residence to the National Palace Museum.
Mr. Ho Ying-chin bequeathed this painting to the National Palace Museum.
Mr. Ho Ying-chin bequeathed this painting to the National Palace Museum.
Landscape
- Chang Dai-chien (1899-1983), Republican period
- Hanging scroll, ink and colors on paper, 138.4x70.6 cm
In the middle of March in 1979, Chang Dai-chien composed a painting "done in a sketchy manner of Miaogao Terrace and Qianzhang Cliff" to commemorate the birthday of ROC President Chiang Ching-kuo (1910-1988). Qianzhang Cliff is located at Xuedou Mountain in Fenghua with Miaogao Terrace on its western side, forming an unusually shaped peak that emerges there. Since antiquity, it had been considered a scenic spot for climbing Xuedou Mountain. Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975), Ching-kuo's father, even had a house built there. The year 1949 was that last time that father and son would be able to spend the Chinese New Year at their hometown of Fenghua on the mainland, giving this painting even more special meaning to the recipient.
This work has been transferred from the ROC Office of the President.
This work has been transferred from the ROC Office of the President.
Letter to the Wife of Chang Chi-cheng About Pineapple Paper
- Chang Dai-chien (1899-1983), Republican period
- Unmounted, ink on paper, 20.1 x 50.5 cm
For Chang Dai-chien, who had very high standards for the paper that he used, he was quite pleased with the results of pineapple paper that had been developed by Chang Feng-jyi. Not only did he personally use it, he also recommended it to others. According to the recollections of Chang Feng-jyi, Chang Dai-chien once ordered five or six reams of such paper numbering in the thousands of sheets. In the letter here, Chang Dai-chien mentions how pineapple paper surpasses traditional Xuan paper, the famous art-historian and artist Xie Zhiliu (1910-1997) in Shanghai also believing it to be comparable to imperial paper of the Qianlong reign from the eighteenth century after personally using it. This type of paper is brighter and more resilient that Xuan paper, the ink tones appearing richer and the paper less likely to turn yellow, garnering much praise from artists in Taiwan.
Mr. Chang Chi-cheng donated this letter to the National Palace Museum.
Mr. Chang Chi-cheng donated this letter to the National Palace Museum.