Chang Yi-hsiung (May 28, 1914 - May 27, 2016), born in Chiayi, Taiwan, was a renowned Taiwanese painter and art educator who resided in Japan and France for many years.
His aunt, Chang Lee Te-he, was a well-known poet, painter, and philanthropist in Chiayi.
From a young age, Chang Yi-hsiung showed an interest and talent in painting, and his father supported his artistic pursuits.
In 1924, he had a chance encounter with the painter Chen Cheng-po, who was sketching near the central fountain in Chiayi.
After his father passed away in 1932, Chang Yi-hsiung went to Japan and gained admission to the private Teikoku School of Fine Arts (now Musashino Gakuin University).
In order to become self-reliant, he politely declined financial assistance from his family and took on newspaper delivery jobs to support himself.
In 1952, his work "Autumn Night" earned the first prize in the 7th Provincial Exhibition Chairman's Special Selection.
In 1953, his painting "Red Flowers" received the first prize in the 8th Provincial Exhibition Chairman's Award without examination.
In 1964, Chang received a substantial income from the sale of 64 pieces to an American collector named Frank, and he planned to emigrate to Brazil.
In Japan, Chang created silhouette portraits on the streets and even collected scrap paper for a living.
In November 2013, the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts organized the "Sunday of Life: Chang Yi-hsiung 's Centenary Retrospective Exhibition".
[15]: 218–229 After relocating to France, he introduced a considerable number of European landscapes and clown figures into his repertoire.
"[17][8]: 120 In his later years, during his extended stay in Paris, his palette shifted towards brighter tones, compositions became more succinct, marking the onset of what is referred to as the "White Period.