Sanyu: His Life and Works in Oil traces the life of the
Chinese artist (1895-1966) from his early years in China
and Japan, to his artistic experimentation and development
in Paris and New York, ending in his tragic death,
impoverished and forgotten. Today, however, Sanyu is one
of the most coveted Chinese modern artists. An examination
of his life reveals that it was precisely the polarities
and tensions he experienced that spurred him to create a
unique pictorial language that so dynamically integrated
the spirit of Western modernity with centuries-old established
Chinese traditions. Sanyu metamorphosed from
a Chinese artist of the modern period to a modernist
with Chinese cultural roots. These intersecting dynamics
resulted in a hybridization previously unseen.

Featuring examples of his works of all genres and drawing
on a wealth of archival material as well as personal stories
recounted by people who knew Sanyu, this biography is the
most comprehensive record of Sanyu's life to date.