Background
Hua was born in Zhejiang, China, to a poor family and is said to have discovered painting at age 8, being considered a "child prodigy".
华三川, 華三川
Hua was born in Zhejiang, China, to a poor family and is said to have discovered painting at age 8, being considered a "child prodigy".
His career spanned six decades. He worked in Children"s Publishing House in Shanghai. He is best known for his detailed figure paintings published in his Book of 100 Beauties.
His paintings of graceful ladies are based on many fairy tales, legends, poetry and historical figures.
His style is an elegant line drawing outline around on figures with delicate or deep color and suggested backgrounds. The ink brushwork is from the traditional Chinese technique, with a mix of Western watercolor technique.
These paintings are popular in China due to their wide appeal of idealized female beauty, vitality and historic nostalgia. They have appeared in many books and calendars.