National College of Art (merges with Beijing Art Academy)
1950
East-China Campus of Central Academy of Fine Arts
1958
Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts
1993
China Academy of Art
Successive Presidents
Lin Fengmian
Lin Fengmian
1928
1928
Founder, painter well-known for fusing the East and the West
1938
Teng Gu
Teng Gu
1938
1938
Forerunner of Chinese art history
1940
Lü Fengzi
Lü Fengzi
1940
1940
Painter and founder of the Jiangsu Art Group
1942
Chen Zhifo
Chen Zhifo
1942
1942
Painter, art historian, graduated from Tokyo Art Academy
1944
Pan Tianshou
Pan Tianshou
1944
1944
One of the key traditional Chinese painters of the 20th century
1947
Wang Rizhang
Wang Rizhang
1947
1947
Oil painter, graduated from Ècole des Beaux-Arts, Paris
1949
Liu Kaiqu
Liu Kaiqu
1949
1949
Renowned sculptor and educator
1959
Pan Tianshou
Pan Tianshou
1959
1959
One of the key traditional Chinese painters of the 20th century
1967
Mo Pu
Mo Pu
1980
1980
Painter, former Standing Director of the Chinese Artists Association
1983
Xiao Feng
Xiao Feng
1983
1983
Painter, graduated from Repin Academy of Fine Arts, Leningrad
1996
Pan Gongkai
Pan Gongkai
1996
1996
Renowned painter and educator, Vice Chairman, Chinese Artists Association
2001
Xu Jiang
Xu Jiang
2001
2001
Renowned oil painter, studied at Hochschule fürbildende Künste Hamburg, Vice Chairman, Chinese Artists Association
2020
Gao Shiming
Gao Shiming
2020
2020
Professor. Vice Director of Curation Committee of China Artists Association, Vice President of Zhejiang Artists Association
PRESENT
Hangzhou is a city with rich cultural heritage. Located in the heart of Hangzhou, the academy has inherited its thousand-year-old culture and instilled the spirit of picturesque landscape. The Academy was founded by the renowned educator Cai Yuanpei early in 1928, who had been promoting art education in China to redeem the then war-torn China.
At beginning, there were only four departments in the academy including Traditional Chinese Painting, Western Painting, Sculpture and Pattern Design. While in the past eight decades, the academy has been renamed, and was moved westward during the war to Jiangxi, Hunan, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Chongqing, and finally returned to Hangzhou.
Throughout the history of CAA, there are two important academic concepts: one is “eclectic”, championed by the first president Lin Fengmian; and the other is “innovation derives from tradition” advocated by Pan Tianshou. These two interrelated concepts form the major traditions of CAA, and create a free environment for artistic creation and experimentation and also diversified humanities studies.
There are two important academic concepts: one is “eclectic”; and the other is “innovation derives from tradition”.
The academy has attracted and fostered many renowned artists who have become major artistic forces in the country, making it one of the most prestigious art institutions. These important artists with national and international fame are Lin Fengmian, Pan Tianshou, Huang Binhong, Liu Kaiqu, Wu Dayu, Yan Wenliang, Ni Yide, Li Kuchan, Li Keran, Aiqing, Chen Zhifo, Pang Xunqin, Lei Guiyuan, Xiao Chuanjiu, Guan Liang, Huang Junbi, Chang Shuhong, Dong Xiwen, Wang Shikuo, Wang Chaowen, Li Lincan, Deng Bai, Wu Guanzhong, Zhao Wuji, Zhu Dequn, Luo Gongliu……
Their art works and endeavors are models and great references for later artists to learn from.
