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Zhang Zenglou (penname Xiaoxuan, 小宣) was born in Hebei Province in 1956. He is a master of contemporary Chinese inside painting in Ji school. He is currently a researcher at the China Academy of Art, chairman of the Hebei Provincial Institute of Inside Painting, and a visiting professor of Yanshan University and Hebei Normal University.
In 1987, Mr Zenglou was engaged in creating inside paintings under the direct teaching of Wang Xisan and later became one of his outstanding disciples. His works are evaluated as a fusion of Chinese and Western painting styles. Zenglou is particularly good at the themes of landscapes, characters, animals, flowers, and birds. In 2006, he painted a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in a snuff bottle for her 80th birthday. This artwork became one of the top ten gifts in the "world selected". In the same year, three landscape paintings were also selected for the Royal Miniature Exhibition organized by the Royal Society of Miniature Painters. This was a great achievement, and a step forward as the Chinese artists have been missing from this exhibition for a hundred years.
Combination of Western and Chinese styles
The fusion of Chinese and Western painting styles has formed Zenglou's unique artistic characteristics, which is well-known at home and overseas. In 2006, his inside painting works ( Hundred Dogs ) won the gold medal of the 3rd China Folk Art Boutique Exposition by the Chinese Folklore Artists Association. During the Spring Festival of 2007, he was invited to the United States to participate in the United Nations New Year Art Gala and was invited to paint a self-portrait snuff bottle for Ban Ki-Moon. In 2009, the "12 Chinese Zodiac" works won the "Ninth Chinese Folk Literature and Art Mountain Flower Award". In 2012, he was named "Asia's Top Ten Snuff bottle Figures" by the China Antique Art Fair in Beijing. His works have been put on official postage stamps many times. In 2013, the China Post Corporation even published a commemorative stamp of "Scientific Development of Beautiful China" by Zhang Zenglou, the master of Chinese inside painting.
In recent years, Xinhua News, CCTV, Guangming Daily, China Talent News, China Youth Daily, Wen Wei Po, Beijing Weekly, HK Ta Kung Pao, Singapore's United morning news and United "Evening News" have produced special reports. CCTV also recorded the film "The Universe in a Bottle" for him to be broadcast in both Chinese and English. Hebei People's Publishing House published his biography "The Proud Son of the Orient". Whereas "The Proud Son of the Orient, Zhang Zenglou" was soon published in Singapore.
In conclusion
Zhang Zenglou's inside painted snuff bottle can cleverly use the carrier of snuff bottles to combine with the painting and incorporate his spirit and feelings into the pictures. It gives people a sense of natural beauty and never tire of it. For his artwork detailed appreciation, click here. This is one of his masterpieces selected by D.D Art. All in all, he is a rare contemporary snuff bottle painter that is capable of this excellent skill. Since 1969, he has been invited to the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Europe, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other countries to hold 26 personal exhibitions and lectures. The Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum collects two of his artworks.