Max Liu Chi Wei, Swan, 1994

Mixed media on canvas
48 x 34 cm (visible), 73.5 x 59 x 2 cm (framed)
Condition: Very good

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Max Liu (Chinese, 1912–2002) was born in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China. His birth name was Liu Fu-Sheng. At the age of nine, he moved to Japan with his family and later worked for the National Government as a technician in the Ministry of National Defense's Ordnance Bureau. He eventually relocated to Taiwan, where he contributed to post-war power infrastructure recovery and restoration projects.

As a self-taught artist outside the formal academy system, Liu’s journey with art began in 1949 after visiting an exhibition by Xiang Hong (dates unknown) at Zhongshan Hall in Taipei. Inspired, he started experimenting with watercolour painting and translating art books. In 1971, he resigned from his government position to become a full-time artist. Liu integrated art anthropology and indigenous cultural field studies into his work, striving to promote art while expressing his love for nature and ecological conservation.

Liu carefully observed the behaviour of animals, capturing their spirit and essence with his brush. In the latter half of his life, he dedicated himself to wildlife conservation, passionately portraying the animals of the natural world in his paintings. For Liu, animals were not just subjects of admiration but symbols of deep respect, reflecting his lifelong commitment to understanding and preserving the natural world. were not only a subject of admiration but also of deep respect.

(Photographed in March 2025)