College of East Asian Studies

Painting by Charles Chu

Charles Chu catches the sweep of the Connecticut River from Old Saybrook to the Vermont mountains in the monumental landscape scroll that is the highlight of this exhibition of his works from the last six decades. Both Chu's mastery of Chinese landscape painting and his familiarity with New England are evident in the great luminous washes of his mountains and the delicate quick strokes of his forests and towns, all caught in the richly poetic vocabulary of Chinese painting. A master painter informed by a lifetime of observation and reflection, Charles Chu's humanity and eye for nature comes out in all of the works: his line is delicate yet sinewy, his colors subdued and yet sensuous. One of the most distinguished Chinese painters in the United States, Charles Chu's rugged New England landscapes, his charming and simple animals and his stunning flowers are known throughout the world. This exhibition draws on Charles Chu's work from the last six decades.

Charles Chi-Jung Chu was born in 1918 in a small farming village in Hebei Province, China. His mother called him "Little Frog" when he was a young and, one can imagine, active boy. Everyone who has witnessed his lightness of spirit and boundless energy can understand why this nickname suits him. Charles is an accomplished painter, professor, calligrapher, and scholar. He established and directed the Chinese program at Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut. Until his retirement in 1984, Professor Chu taught Chinese language, literature, and the history of Chinese painting. His love of art and of life itself permeates his buoyant view of the world, his enjoyment of moments large and small, and his delight in the beauty of nature.

Opening and Gallery Talk:

Artist Charles Chu and Curator Patrick Dowdey

Wednesday, April 2, noon

A luncheon buffet will be served

Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies Gallery

343 Washington Terrace
Middletown, CT 06459