Return_to_China Zhang_Chongren

zhang chongren memorial hall, qibao old town

at end of studies in brussels in 1935, zhang made tour of france, britain, netherlands, germany, austria , italy before returning home china. upon arrival in shanghai in 1936, zhang held number of shows exhibiting drawings , sculptures. established chongren studio further art , teach.

hergé lost contact him during invasion of china japan (which regarded start of second sino-japanese war) , subsequent chinese civil war. more 4 decades pass before 2 friends meet again. in instance of life mirroring art, hergé managed resume contact old friend zhang chongren, years after tintin rescued fictional chang in closing pages of tintin in tibet. zhang had been reduced street sweeper during cultural revolution, before becoming head of fine arts academy in shanghai during 1970s.

after economic liberalisation of china 1979, zhang received widespread acknowledgement in chinese art community. collection of oil paintings , sculptures published , in later years, zhang worked editor , translator of several books on art. among portraits has painted of chinese paramount leader deng xiaoping , french president françois mitterrand.

zhang returned europe reunion hergé in 1981 upon invitation of french government. in 1989 received french citizenship , settled down teach in paris suburb of nogent-sur-marne, died in 1998. shortly after death, memorial museum dedicated him established in qibao, shanghai. number of paintings , sculptures held in china museum of fine art in beijing , china museum of revolutionary warfare.