Chen Cheng-po Easel Introduction
The shared pride of Chiayi people – Painter Chen Cheng-po! Mr. Chen Cheng-po is an outstanding pioneering painter of Taiwan, whose artwork has fetched prices exceeding NT$100 million at auctions. His famous painting "Sunset at Tamsui" was sold for approximately NT$212 million at a Christie's auction in Hong Kong in 2007, setting the highest record for Taiwanese painting in international auctions. Many of Mr. Chen’s works depict the landscapes and figures of his hometown, allowing the sights and items of Chiayi to be known and celebrated globally through his artistry. In March 2001, the Chen Cheng-po Cultural Foundation presented nine reproductions of oil paintings, which were erected in Chiayi Park. This was the first instance in Taiwan where oil paintings were combined with park attractions, greatly enhancing the artistic atmosphere of Chiayi Park. Mr. Chen Cheng-po, with his noble character and outstanding artistic skills, is the shared pride of Chiayi people. While appreciating his artworks, let us once again pay tribute to Mr. Chen Cheng-po. • Brief Profile of Chen Cheng-po • Born in 1895 in Chiayi • Graduated from the Normal Department of a Mandarin School • Studied at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (the predecessor of the Tokyo University of the Arts) in Japan • Specialized in Western painting for two years at the Institute of Tokyo School of Fine Arts • Served as a professor and department head at the Shanghai Art College in 1929 • Returned to Taiwan in 1933 • Founded the Taiyang Art Association in 1934 • Elected as the first senator of Chiayi City in 1946 • Died at the age of 53 due to the February 28 Incident in 1947 • Created the large oil painting "Outside Chiayi Street" in 1926, selected for the 7th Imperial Art Exhibition in Japan, being the first Taiwanese Western painter selected, bringing pride to Taiwanese people in Japanese society, and subsequently selected multiple times • In 1931, at the first National Art Exhibition held in Shanghai, his work "Clear Stream" was selected among the twelve contemporary painters and represented at the World’s Fair in Chicago, USA. Construction of the site: Erected for exhibition: From March 25, 2001.
