Chen YiFei

Chen Yifei (1946-2005) was born in Ningbo, Zhejiang Zhenhai people. 1965 graduated from the Shanghai Fine Arts College, into the Shanghai Art painting sculpture room, a former head of oil group. Age 60-70 created a “Song of the Yellow River”, “occupation of the Presidential Palace”, “pacing” and other best-known paintings. To the United States in 1980 to study art in 1984 by a master’s degree. After the oil paintings in New York and in Washington, New York, Tokyo and other places held personal exhibitions. Works on many occasions to participate in Hong Kong and the domestic oil products auction, which works “mountain wind” a Chinese oil painting works highest auction price. Their works by the Chinese Art Gallery, the Chinese People’s Revolutionary Museum and the extensive collection of domestic and foreign collectors.

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Chen Yifei is a central figure in the development of Chinese oil painting and is one of China's most renowned contemporary artists. Although he was denounced for 'capitalist behavior' Chen's obvious talent and mastery of oil painting techniques won him recognition by the authorities. Chen soon became one of the leading painters of the cultural revolution, he was famous for his big Mao portraits and depiction of grand heroic events of the modern Chinese nation. After the Cultural Revolution Chen became the forerunner of a new age in Chinese aesthetics, promoting a new sense of modernity and lifestyle in his paintings as well as in fashion, cinema and design. In his oil paintings Chen abandoned his uncritical glorification of the party to blend realistic technique and romanticism with Chinese subject matter, especially melancholic and lonely women in traditional dresses. His characteristic 'Romantic Realism' paintings use dark and dense colors and convey a sense of richness and integrity. Chen studied in the United States for several years and then returned to Shanghai where he stayed and worked incessantly until the early death at the age of 59. His early death left intellectual circles in shock and highlighted his major role in the Chinese contemporary art scene

In 1992, Christie's auctioned his "Lingering Melodies From the Xunyang River" for US$176,282 then a world record price for a Chinese oil painting at auction.