The Spirit of the Brush In the quiet landscapes of Wuxi, Jiangsu, a young man named Chi Chen began to cultivate a vision that would eventually span two continents. Born in 1912, his early years were rooted in the traditions of China, where he later shared his knowledge as a teacher at the Wu Pen and Huai Chiu high schools for girls. His hands learned the delicate mastery of brush and color during a time when his art began to find its v…
Scroll through Chi Chen's working life — artwork by artwork, chapter by chapter — from the earliest dated work to the last. Each thumbnail is pinned at its exact year on the gold axis.
The ribbon is divided into shaded bands, one per career chapter. Each chapter groups Chi Chen's works by their historical period — early training, mature practice, final years.
Every thumbnail is pinned at its precise creation year. A thin gold thread drops from the image to its exact point on the axis. Larger frames mark the artist's masterpieces by rank.
The gradient bar beneath the axis shifts colour as the dominant art movement changes over time — from the warm golds of the early period through the deeper tones of maturity. It fills progressively as you scroll.