Traditional Chinese New Year Painting - Original Painting by Zhou Zhen

Description: This is an original, hand-painted, hand-mounted Chinese New Year Painting - 18” x 30”.Zhou Zhen is proud of his Chinese heritage and has strived to maintain centuries-old traditional Chinese methods when creating works of art. There are 5 steps in creating traditional Chinese Folk Art: (1) creating original pencil sketches from age-old Chinese prints; (2) carving wood-blocks by hand using traditional hard pear-wood; (3) hand printing black picture outlines on special Xuanwai paper; (4) carefully hand-painting using a variety of bright colors, some ground by hand using seeds and berries; and (5) mounting paintings on thicker paper with the addition of a border made of authentic Chinese silk.Chinese New Year Paintings represent a long-standing and honored tradition within Chinese history. Their perseverance and popularity in large segments of China’s population today are due to their festive designs and vivid colors in each painting.The tradition of New Year Paintings can be traced back to the Han dynasty (206BC-220AD) when pictures of historic gods were posted above doors to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck to residents. Simple reproduction of such paintings came into practice in the Tang dynasty (618-907) when the emperor ordered artist Wu Daozi to create a painting of the famous door god Zhonghua Kai. That painting was copied and distributed throughout China. (Zhou Zhen has recreated large Door God paintings, also available in eBay.)Many Chinese New Year paintings are linked to Chinese folk stories and customs. The simplicity of the style and vibrant colors retell these ancient tales to the modern world with the stroke of a brush. Common people’s wishes and hopes for the year ahead are often expressed through the original designs using classic Chinese symbols such as animals, fish, babies, gods and goddesses. The same New Year prints and paintings were often used for festivities throughout the year, including weddings, births and other special occasions. The craft of New Year Paintings is considered an important form of Chinese history and continues to be regarded as an important and relevant Chinese custom.Zhou Zhen has visited many museums throughout China to find rare paintings that capture Chinese history and culture. Originally from Shandong province in China, Zhou Zhen studied English at Beijing Foreign Studies University. After teaching himself wood carving and the traditional Chinese methods of painting, he operated a New Year Painting store in the ancient-culture town of Yangliuqing near Tianjin, China. He moved to Chicago in 2015. He has demonstrated his methods and sold his paintings at several art fairs in Chicago over the last few years.This classic Yangliuqing New Year Painting -with a chubby baby holding a fish and lotus flowers - captures people’s wish for happiness and longing for an abundant life. The inscription on the painting reads “May You Enjoy Great Wealth Year After Year”.

Price: 100 USD

Location: Chicago, Illinois

End Time: 2025-01-20T20:06:27.000Z

Shipping Cost: 20 USD