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Zhang Qiangying 張蒨英 (also known as Chang Chien-ying, 1913-2004) was born in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province of China. She was educated in Nanjing and played a crucial role in assisting Xu Beihong 徐悲鴻 (1895-1953), a trailblazing modern artist and art educator, in establishing the renowned China Institute of Fine Arts in Chongqing. Encouraged by Xu, Zhang embarked on a transformative journey to London in 1946, thanks to a prestigious British Council grant, to delve into the techniques of Western painting. She gained admission to the Slade School of Fine Art, where she refined her artistic skills. With great passion and dedication, Zhang exhibited her works extensively across the UK, establishing herself as a prominent figure in the British art scene. She resided in England alongside her husband Fei Chengwu 費成武 (1914-2001), also a student of Xu Beihong, and frequently exhibited their paintings in the summer exhibitions of the Royal Academy of Art and other museums and galleries across England.

Zhang Qianying, Waterfall with Bridge Inscribed, 1951. Signed and dated xinmao year (1951), with three seals of the artist Scroll, mounted and framed, ink and colour on paper, 64.6 x 22.7 cm. Courtesy of the Christies.

Zhang’s artistic prowess captivated the admiration of prominent figures, including Mrs. Violet Attlee (1895-1966), the wife of Prime Minister Clement Attlee (1883-1967), and the esteemed British painter Sir Stanley Spencer (1891-1959). Her paintings presented a unique interpretation of British life and landscapes through the lens of traditional Chinese artistic idioms. Zhang intertwined elements of traditional Chinese costumes and landscapes with the British clothing and topography she encountered, infusing her artwork with a personal and lyrical touch.

Zhang’s remarkable talent was showcased in numerous prestigious exhibitions at renowned venues such as the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolours, the Royal Academy of Art, the Society of Women Artists, and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.

Zhang Qianying was well-known for:

  • her delicate paintings of fishes, landscapes, birds and flowers,
  • her book illustrations of poems,
  • her costume design notably for movies such as The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958) and The World of Suzy Wong (1960)
  • her contribution to the musical of The World of Suzy Wong (1960)
  • her fabric design of silk patterns with swallows for the Maison Dior. Qi

Zhang Qianying’s artistic approach involved skillfully substituting the clothing and topography she encountered in the UK with elements of traditional Chinese costume and landscapes, infusing her work with a personal and poetic sentiment.

One of her paintings was accompanied by a poignant poem, which beautifully captured her feeling:

“What weary traveller does not love the green mountains, the only place on earth that merits its reputation? Gazing on the clouds resting atop cliffs and peaks, as the flowing water all returns to the world of men below.”

This heartfelt verse encapsulates Zhang’s deep appreciation for the serene beauty of nature, as well as her ability to evoke a sense of harmony between different elements in her artwork.

ZHANG QIANYING, Chicks and Flowers, n.d.. Ink and pigment on paper with signatures and red seals of the artists, mounted as hanging scrolls, 101cm x 35cm. Courtesy of the Invaluable.

Selected bibliography

Ben Uri Research Unit. “Chien-Ying Chang.” Accessed 16 July 2023, https://buru.org.uk/record.php?id=1465.

Christies. “ZHANG QIANYING (1913-2004), Waterfall with Bridge | Christie’s.” Accessed 18 July 2023, https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/art-china-arnhold-collection/zhang-qianying-1913-2004-155/74037.

Huang, Michelle Ying-Ling. “Introducing the Art of Modern China: Trends in Exhibiting Modern Chinese Painting in Britain, c. 1930-80.” Journal of the History of Collections 31, issue 2 (July 2019): 383-401. (Early online publication, 23 August 2018, https://doi.org/10.1093/jhc/fhy017)

Invaluable. “Sold at Auction: Qianying Zhang.” Accessed 18 July 2023, https://www.invaluable.com/artist/zhang-qianying-paz37ux5om/sold-at-auction-prices/.

MutualArt. “Zhang Qianying | 19 Artworks at Auction | MutualArt.” Accessed 17 July 2023, https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Zhang-Qianying/C545CBA9A79625B2.

Sotheby’s. Auction Catalogue of The Vermillion Pavillion Collection of 20th Century Fine Chinese Paintings (Hong Kong: Sotheby’s, 2006). 

Wright, Patrick. “Berkshire to Beijing.” The Guardian, 17 March 2001, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2001/mar/17/books.guardianreview.

Wright, Patrick. Passport to Peking: A Very British Mission to Mao’s China (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2010).

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