Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c11.s4.t3.40

v2.c11.s4.t3.40

awarded him the honourary certificate of “People’s Artist”. In the same year, he was elected Chairman of the Chinese Artists Association. In 1956, he was awarded the 1955 International Peace Prize by the World Peace Council. In 1957, he acted as Honourary President of Beijing Fine Art Academy. Chinese painter Xu Beihong strongly favoured the artworks of Qi Baishi, and once hired him as Professor of Chinese painting. The Spanish painter Picasso, also appreciated the art of Qi Baishi, and copied his ink painting works. Although Qi Baishi never travelled abroad, the people of India were no strangers to his art. In 1924, the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore and painter Nandalal Bose visited him during their visit to China. In 1952, India painter M. F. Hussain also visited him during his visit to China. The School of Art of International University in Shantiniketan still owns the collection of Qi Baishi’s works.