段天白   Duan, Tian-Bai   1917~

Tian-Bai Duan, real name Shi-Zhao, courtesy name Tian-Bai, was born in Xuzhou city, Jiangsu province, China, in 1917. He graduated from Xuzhou Art College, where he majored in Western painting and minored in Chinese painting. Duan sat at the feet of Master Ke-Ran Li. Through the referral of Master Li in 1946, Tian-Bai Duan was apprenticed to Bai-Shi Qi to study painting and seal-carving. Consequently, Duan’s painting reflects both the spirit of Ke-Ran Li and Bai-Shi Qi. While preserving the essence of these two masters, he does not confine himself within their styles. With vigorous brushstrokes and vivid ink expressions, he succeeds in exhibiting a uniqueness of style that sets him apart from the crowd. Bai-shi Qi thought highly of Tian-Bai Duan and carved three seals for him. Duan has since carried these gifts with him and viewed them as his most precious treasures. Whenever he completes a painting, he uses these seals for the inscription, signifying that he would never forget the grace of his master. Tian-Bai Duan has staged more than fifty solo exhibitions in Tokyo (Japan), New York (USA), South Africa and South Korea. Many of his paintings have been acquired by the National Museum of History, the National Taiwan Arts Education Center and the National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall as part of their permanent collections.