Li keran

Chinese, 1907 – 1989. Li Keran was a celebrated art educator and contemporary guohua painter. The painter’s art name was Sanqi. Li Keran is among the prominent Chinese artists from the 20th century. Li keran’s paintings at auction are often sought-after by collectors and garner millions. One notable record-breaking auction sale includes the June 2012 sale of his celebrated artwork Thousands of Hills in a Crimsoned View, which garnered a whopping US$46 million.

Born in Xuzhou, China, on March 26, 1907, Li Keran started painting when he was young. He received training from Qian Shizhi, a local artist, and later at 16, studied at the Shanghai Art Academy. He studied both traditional Chinese and Western painting at the Hangzhou National Art College from French artist André Claudot and the academy’s president Lin Fengmian. The artist later worked as a teacher at the Beijing National Art College in 1946 with celebrated artists like Huang Binhong and Qi Baishi. The influence of these two Chinese masters was visible in Li’s literati paintings.  Li keran’s paintings for sale often include landscapes that depict his experimental and traditional techniques. Li’s essay titled On the Reform of Chinese Painting from the Chinese Artists’ Association Art magazine was criticized. Li Keran’s paintings at auction, especially, landscapes portray the brilliant use of light and shadows. Li keran’s paintings for sale carrying inspiration of Mao Zedong’s poetry sell at record-breaking prices.

The artist died in Beijing, China, on December 5, 1989. Today, Li Keran’s paintings and other artworks are on display at the National Museum of China in Beijing, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria in Canada, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and other worldwide museums and galleries. Li keran’s paintings for sale often come up at online auction on leading art gallery platforms.