Feng Zikai was born November 9, 1898 in Tongxiang in the Zhejiang province. As well as being a Chinese painter, Feng was also known for his work as a music teacher, essayist, and translator. Feng went to school at the Zhejiang First Normal College where he studied Western painting and music. In order to learn more about the Western style of art, Feng then went on to study at Kawabata Painting School in Tokyo, Japan. While here, he discovered the style of manga art.

In 1922, Feng returned to China and began working as a teacher in Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Chongqing. The 1920’s was also when Feng began publishing his woodcut illustrations in newspapers and journals all around China, and became famous for the illustration’s sharp social commentaries. Because of this work, Feng became known as the “father of Chinese cartoons”(Oliver Krischer, ArtAsiaPacific, The Hong Kong Museum of Art, http://artasiapacific.com/Magazine/80/TheArtOfFengZikaiFengZikai.) Feng died September 15, 1975, but his works remained popular long after his passing, and are still highly viewed to this day (Lambiek, Feng Zikai, Comiclopedia, https://www.lambiek.net/artists/f/feng_zikai.htm.).

Feng Zikai. Spring Breeze. Ink and color on paper. 20th Century. Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Image Source: http://www.cguardian.com/en/AuctionQuery.html.

 

References:

Krischer, Oliver. ArtAsiaPacific. The Hong Kong Museum of Art. http://artasiapacific.com/Magazine/80/TheArtOfFengZikaiFengZikai.

Lambiek. Feng Zikai. Comiclopedia. https://www.lambiek.net/artists/f/feng_zikai.htm.

Image Source: http://www.cguardian.com/en/AuctionQuery.html