Stephen Pan 潘仲武, 1963 | Ballet dancers

Stephen Pan 潘仲武 is an extremely versatile artist n the classic European oil painting tradition.

His singular artistic expression is easily recognized in his sublimely elegant and serene paintings.

Since 1987 he has focused primarily on original figurative oil paintings on canvas.

In spite of his close relationship with formal Chinese traditions in art, Pan fell in love with the paintings of renaissance and French impressionist periods.

Born in Shanghai, Pan entered Chinese society at the height of the Red Guard‚s power; the destruction of all thing not purely Chinese was in full force.

Even after the Red Guard was disbanded, it was years before China opened it‚s doors to welcome outside cultural influences.

Pan began his teaching career in Shanghai at age 20 and found his young students were eager to study art from him.

When he as only 22 years old his oil painting Red Cross was acquired by Beijing Central Art Museum, a singular honor for a Chinese artist.