Han Meilin (b. 1936) is a celebrated Chinese painter, known for his ink paintings of charming and loveable animals. Chinese Paintings Online 20th Century and Beyond! features four animal ink paintings at the heart of Han Meilin’s oeuvre. Bid on Donkey, Heron, Vulture, and Eagle before 8 December, and read on for a closer look at Han Meilin’s career.
Han Meilin was born in Jinan in the Shandong Province in 1936 and began his formal training at the Central Academy of Arts and Design in 1955. In the early 1970s, he became one of China’s leading contemporary artists. He was elected to the China Artists Association in 1979, and an exhibition of his work at the National Art Museum in Beijing attracted over 200,000 visitors in 21 days.
In the same year, he began a tour of the United States, exhibiting his work in dozens of cities. Han Meilin’s tour of the United States garnered him international attention, and between 1989 and 2010, he held solo exhibitions in more than 20 countries, from Canada, Malaysia, India, and more.
His success as an artist can be attributed to his intense work ethic. Han Meilin has been known to create his paintings with painstaking care and attention to detail. To create his iconic animal paintings, he created hundreds of volumes of sketches, sometimes going without food and sleep until he achieves the result he wants.
“No one is a ‘born artist’. People become artists after years of hard work. Every day I spend four hours reading books and two hours practicing calligraphy; the rest of my time I paint.” – Han Meilin
Han Meilin’s deep love of animals is apparent in his signature ink-and-brush paintings of herons, donkeys, eagles, monkeys, fish, vultures, and more. He is adept in capturing not only the physical qualities of the animals, but also their mannerisms and mood – a testament to his understanding of these creatures. His lively, yet minimal brush strokes add a vibrancy to his paintings, while simple geometric shapes and use of caricature make his animals appear more innocent and loveable.
Han Meilin has also explored sculpture throughout his career, working with glass, ceramic, and metal media. He famously designed the Fuwa (good-luck doll) mascots for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and the iconic red phoenix logo for Air China.
Bid on stellar paintings by Han Meilin and other celebrated Chinese artists until 8 December.
