Mother and Daughter

In August 1939, Xu Beihong painted Mrs. Tchang Ju Chi and her daughter in the oil painting Mother and Daughter.
Tchang Ju Chi (dates of birth and death unknown) graduated from the Shanghai Fine Arts School, and then went abroad to study in France. In early summer 1935, she advocated for the founding of the Society of Chinese Artists in Singapore, comprised initially of the alumni from the Shanghai Fine Arts School, the New China Arts University, and the Shanghai Arts University living in Singapore. First named the “Salon Art Research Association,” the Society only had a few dozen members. Later, because the membership scope was too narrow, the organization did not play a prominent role in society. On 17 November 1935, it convened a meeting of its members. It removed membership restrictions and took on young Chinese people with “upright character and an interest in art.” The name was changed to the “Singapore Chinese Art Research Society,” and its mission became “studying art, connecting to emotion, and beautifying society.” The first chair was Tchang Ju Chi.
The society hosted many large-scale exhibitions, which contributed to the development of art in Singapore. The exhibition to help Xu Beihong was a key project in early 1939, and Xu’s arrival increased the frequency and liveliness of artistic activity in Singapore.
-Hua Tianxue