Chen Zizhuang’s painting art is an innovation based on inheritance of tradition. Some elements of his predecessors can often be seen in his works. Chen Zizhuang is a person who is good at learning. While he studied and absorbed the advantages of his predecessors, he also incorporated his own style and characteristics, and finally became his own style. He learned Wu Changshuo's vigorous and vigorous brushwork, Qi Baishi's frankness and simplicity, and even learned the essence of Huang Binhong's brushwork.
Overview of Chen Zizhuang's painting art process, 1968 can be regarded as the boundary and divided into two periods. The early works contained mostly flowers and birds, less landscapes and very few figures. The flower-and-bird paintings of this period were straightforward in their brushwork, often using large strokes of the brush, with strong and unrestrained style. The compositions were odd and domineering, and the colors were bright. The most dated works handed down from generation to generation are Xin Chou (1961), Ren Yin (1962), Guimao (1963), and Jia Chen (1964). During this period, there were wonderful large-scale flower and bird works, and there were also occasional large-scale works, such as "Red Lotus" painted in 1962, which was composed of eight pieces of six-foot paper; Zhang piece together. The composition of the early landscape paintings was relatively simple, with fewer layers and more strange and domineering touches. The brushwork used was exactly the same as that of flower and bird paintings, and there were obvious traces of exploration and experimentation. When he was young, Chen Zizhuang's calligraphy style was characterized by elegance and elegance. After arriving in Chengdu in 1955, his calligraphy was deeply influenced by Liu Meng and his wife, the then Provincial Cultural and History Curator and calligrapher. His calligraphy became a strong and vigorous style, with heavy and refreshing strokes and sharp edges at the turning points. , consistent with the painting style of this period.
The themes of later works are mostly landscapes, slightly less flowers and birds, and the least human figures. During this period, the brush used in landscape painting became soft on the outside and hard on the inside, with intertwined dots and lines, and a spirit and connotation. The composition is strange but not strange, and the layers are rich. The painting methods of mountains, rocks and trees are varied in appearance but consistent in style. The brushwork can appear chaotic but solid, and in terms of color, special attention is paid to the rich changes in tone and color gradation. The most dated works handed down from generation to generation are Xinhai (1971), Renzi (1972), Guichou (1973), Jiayin (1974), and Yimao (1975). The majority of landscape works during this period were sketches, usually on four-foot paper. Octavo. In his later paintings of flowers and birds, his brushwork varied slightly, with multiple curves and repeated strokes, and the shapes of the birds were particularly exquisite. During this period, most of the flower and bird works were four-foot-wide banners, four-foot-three-foot-wide, four-foot-eight square pieces, and there were also four-foot-long full paper works handed down to the world. His calligraphy changed greatly in his later period. In 1971, he still used the vigorous and heavy calligraphy style of his earlier period. In 1972, he began to become soft on the outside and hard on the inside. He was obviously influenced by the calligraphy styles of Feng Zikai and Zheng Xiaoxu. This style of calligraphy is in line with the style of later paintings. The pen is also very consistent. Most of the works of this period were signed "stone pot".
In the early days of the "Cultural Revolution", Chen Zizhuang's home was ransacked several times, and all his property, materials, and painting tools were lost. When he moved to Jianghan Road at the end of 1966, he didn't even have a dining table, so he had to live in a wooden box loaded with goods. Cover the box with paper and draw. But when he quickly cheered up, the first thing he purchased was the best pens, inks, paper, paints, etc. that could be obtained at that time. Among the Sichuan painters at that time, Chen Zizhuang was considered to be very particular about the quality of painting materials. Except for a special color wrapping paper used during the most difficult short period, rice paper and Jiajiang paper are usually used. After the mid-1960s, he never used ink when painting at home. He used fine ancient ink to grind ink on an ancient inkstone he got by chance.
All of Chen Zizhuang's handed down works are authentic and very particular in composition. The position, content and calligraphy of the inscription are all carefully considered. The size, vermilion and position of the seal are often impeccable. The pen and ink appear to be extensive on the outside but precise and rigorous on the inside. The pen is vivid, the object shape is accurate, lively and interesting, and the combination with the pen and ink is just right. Fake works are all about scribbling and careless writing. There is no inherent rhythm between the pen and ink, which is scattered and boring. The calligraphy of the title is especially messy. In fact, Chen Zizhuang's works are difficult to imitate. The kind of orderliness in chaos and the elegant and unrestrained brushwork are extremely difficult to imitate, especially the pure and thick atmosphere and the graceful and generous realm, which are even more difficult for ordinary people to match.