Chen Julai

CHINA, Zhejiang, Jiaxing

Chen Julai, originally named Chen Jia, was born in Pinghu county of Jiaxing. He initially acquired the skill of seal engraving from Tao Xiruo, and later studied under Zhao Shilan. Chen was highly adept in skill and carved over 30,000 seals throughout his life.
His seal carvings utilized the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) style of red-ink and were delicate in nature. His master, Zhao Shilan, remarked, “The seal wording is highly-refined and the engraving is bold and sturdy. The craftsmanship is of highest quality in recent eras.” Several famous artists such as Zhang Daqian, Pu Ru, and Wu Hufan used seals carved by Chen. Additionally, he emulated the style of seal script that was found on engravings in the Buddhist caves of Dunhuang. His works include Self-Abandonment to Dunhuang, which exhibits his great proficiency in skill, in addition to two other works that are kept at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA.