Gao Qifeng

CHINA, Guangdong, Guangzhou

Also known as Gao Weng, Gao Qifeng was a painter from Panyu district in Guangzhou. Alongside Chen Shuren and his elder brother Gao Jianfu, he is credited with the founding the Lingnan school of painting. The three artists were together referred to as the Two Gaos and One Chen, as well as the Three Elites of Lingnan.
Gao Qifeng traveled to Japan in 1907 at the age of 17 with his brother to study painting for one year. They later went back to Japan in 1911 to further study and pursue careers in the arts. Gao returned to China in 1918, and in addition to teaching art, founded an art school. He was later hired by the Lingnan University in Guangdong. The New Aesthetics and Aesthetics and Didactics were Gao’s written works. In 1931, Gao became world-renowned when his paintings were awarded first place at the World Expo in Belgium.
Skilled in painting animals, flowers, and landscapes, Gao also studied western-styles of shading, life drawing, and other perspective techniques while in Japan. He combined Western, Chinese, and Japanese painting methods and developed his own unique painting style. Originally advocating a natural and delicate painting style, later in his life, Gao adopted freehand brush techniques in his paintings.