Au Ho-nien

Au Ho-nien (; 1935 – 25 April 2024) was a Chinese painter. He studied under Chao Shao-an and his ink wash paintings, representative of the Lingnan School, were influential in Taiwan. His subject matter included landscapes, animals, feathers, and other elements, and his art used rich, varied forms alongside strong and vivid colors. In 2019, a solo exhibition of his work was displayed at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.

Early life Au Ho-nien was born in Maoming, Guangdong, in 1935. He studied under Chao Shao-an from 1952, at age 17, and belonged to the Lingnan School. In 1950, his family moved to Hong Kong. settling on the island and creating close ties between the Lingnan School of painting and the development history of art education in Taiwan. In 1994, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Wonkwang University in South Korea. In 1995, he was hired as a director of the Chu Hai College of Higher Education in Hong Kong. In 1999, he won the second Global Outstanding Persons Gold Dragon Award. In June 2016, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from National Dong Hwa University, and in November of the same year, he was also awarded an honorary doctor of letters degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

In 2000, he established the Au Ho-nien Cultural Foundation, In 2004, the University of Indianapolis established the Au Ho-nien Museum, and in 2005, the Au Ho-nien Art Center (now the Au Ho-nien Art Museum) was established on Chinese Culture University's Yangmingshan Campus in Taipei. Painter Chu Ko described Au's paintings as having "achieved the realm of one whose 'mastery has penetrated downward', which is why he enjoys a great reputation".