Zhao Shou (1912 - 2003) Facial Mask of Chinese Opera oil on canvas mounted on wooden board executed in 1943 60 x 80 cm. (23 5/8 x 31 1/2 in.) FURTHER DESCRIPTION Zhao Shou travelled to Japan in the 1930’s to further his art studies. When he returned to China in 1935, he held exhibitions in Guangzhou and Shanghai, as well as in Japan, bringing with him the latest trends in Western art ideology. He became an educator in Guangdong Province that same year, and dedicated the rest of his life to actively practicing and promoting modern painting. He was particularly interested in surrealism, and was an active avant-garde artist from the 1930’s to 1940’s.
From his studies in Japan in 1933, Zhao Shou learned the essence of Japanese avant-garde painting. His works combined influences from cubism and surrealism, together with the bold colours used in fauvism, to present a distinctive style of enthusiasm. He was one of the important second-generation artists whose works reflected the evolution of Chinese art.