Chang Chien-Ying

Chang Chien-Ying studied at Central University at Nanking, where she met her future husband, Cheng Wu-Fei. They both won British Council grants to study in Britain and achieved places at the Slade School of Fine Arts in London, where they were influenced by British painter Stanley Spencer. They began their studies in Britain in Western Painting Techniques in 1946. After the communist takeover of China, they remained in Great Britain. She presented traditional Chinese painting skills all over the country and also presented Chinese cooking in the television, while her husband started an academic career.

Chang worked as a calligrapher and therefore received orders to illustrate books of poems and several film-sets about China. One of her best friends was American comedian Bob Hope at that time. She also designed some work for famous fashion designer Christian Dior and sung in Peking Opera productions.

After her husband’s death, Chang returned twice to Shanghai but found that she recognized nothing. She and her husband arranged that when they had both died, their ashes were to be scattered in front of the magnolia trees at Kenwood House, Hampstead.

A work by Chang in ink and watercolor is titled “Two Sparrows Swaying on Hanging Willow Branches” (34 x 46 cm). The tendency to shorten the original titles could be observed in a number of cases. Therefore, it may be the entered watercolor “Swaying”, although the motif shows no reference to sport.