Artist Chen Chaobao Passes Away at 78, Gained Fame Through Comics
Renowned Taiwanese artist Chen Chaobao passed away on April 5, 2026, at the age of 78 due to acute pneumonia. He initially rose to fame as a cartoonist, publishing works in 'Crown Magazine' and 'United Daily News'. Later, he moved to Paris to pursue fine art, developing a unique style blending Eastern and Western influences.
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- 📰 Published: April 7, 2026 at 10:20
- 🔍 Collected: April 7, 2026 at 11:00 (40 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 12:23 (193h 23m after Collected)
Chen Chaobao's wife informed CNA reporters that Chen Chaobao was hospitalized in March due to acute pneumonia caused by influenza, and subsequently passed away on April 5th at 10:30 AM. The incident was sudden. His family also announced on Facebook that Chen Chaobao had nurtured many talents and built good relationships throughout his life. Relatives, teachers, and students who have time can visit the mourning hall to pay their respects.
Chen Chaobao was born in Tianzhong Township, Changhua County, in 1948. From a young age, he showed great interest and talent in painting, but due to his impoverished family background, he had to work part-time while studying at the National Taiwan Academy of Arts. However, this did not stop his passion for creation. After retiring from the military, he submitted comics created during his service to 'Crown Magazine' and officially published his works in the magazine in 1972, debuting as a cartoonist.
Comic history expert Hong De-lin told CNA reporters today that Chen Chaobao later had a regular comic strip in the 'United Daily News'. At that time, few people focused on commenting on comics, and single-panel comics emphasized key points and effects, which Chen Chaobao excelled at. For example, he once transformed the character in the famous painting 'Mona Lisa's Smile' into a monkey, which was very amusing.
Another single-panel comic, 'Do you need aid?', depicted Chen Chaobao drawing a person in ragged clothes riding a bicycle past a sports car, yet shouting to the suit-clad driver, 'Hey! Do you want some financial aid?' Hong De-lin stated that the background of this comic was to satirize the political situation at the time and was reprinted by world media through the 'Associated Press'.
Hong De-lin said that Chen Chaobao's brushwork at the time leaned towards Western painting styles and was extremely popular, making him one of the few Taiwanese cartoonists who became internationally renowned for satirical comics. However, compared to comics, Chen Chaobao wanted to delve deeper into art creation, so he later moved to Paris, France, to develop his career.
In 1979, Chen Chaobao held his first solo exhibition at the Taipei American Cultural Center. In a recent interview video during his exhibition at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, he recalled that although comics brought him money and fame, he felt they were temporary. 'I must pursue more eternal art,' he said, which led him to move his entire family to Paris.
During his stay in France, Chen Chaobao focused on painting and developed a unique personal style that blended modern ink wash painting and oil painting, such as his female body series, Buddha-seeking series, and mask series, which combined Eastern and Western characteristics. He was listed among the top 100 Chinese painters by the French government. He returned to Taiwan in 2002 to settle down and teach at his alma mater, National Taiwan University of Arts (formerly National Taiwan Academy of Arts). After retiring in 2012, he continued to create.
In recent years, in addition to holding exhibitions in his hometown of Changhua, Chen Chaobao also held a grand solo exhibition 'Chen Chaobao – The Treasure of the Great Dynasty and Great Treasure Art Dynasty' at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in 2021. He stated at the time that there were two turning points in the transformation of his painting style: one was moving his family to Paris, France, in 1983, and the other was going to Dunhuang in 1994 to copy nearly a hundred silk paintings, while also trying to incorporate comic ideas and ironic concepts into his paintings. 'Although I am not good at speaking, my paintings speak for themselves.' (Editor: Lin Shu-hui) 1150407
Chen Chaobao was born in Tianzhong Township, Changhua County, in 1948. From a young age, he showed great interest and talent in painting, but due to his impoverished family background, he had to work part-time while studying at the National Taiwan Academy of Arts. However, this did not stop his passion for creation. After retiring from the military, he submitted comics created during his service to 'Crown Magazine' and officially published his works in the magazine in 1972, debuting as a cartoonist.
Comic history expert Hong De-lin told CNA reporters today that Chen Chaobao later had a regular comic strip in the 'United Daily News'. At that time, few people focused on commenting on comics, and single-panel comics emphasized key points and effects, which Chen Chaobao excelled at. For example, he once transformed the character in the famous painting 'Mona Lisa's Smile' into a monkey, which was very amusing.
Another single-panel comic, 'Do you need aid?', depicted Chen Chaobao drawing a person in ragged clothes riding a bicycle past a sports car, yet shouting to the suit-clad driver, 'Hey! Do you want some financial aid?' Hong De-lin stated that the background of this comic was to satirize the political situation at the time and was reprinted by world media through the 'Associated Press'.
Hong De-lin said that Chen Chaobao's brushwork at the time leaned towards Western painting styles and was extremely popular, making him one of the few Taiwanese cartoonists who became internationally renowned for satirical comics. However, compared to comics, Chen Chaobao wanted to delve deeper into art creation, so he later moved to Paris, France, to develop his career.
In 1979, Chen Chaobao held his first solo exhibition at the Taipei American Cultural Center. In a recent interview video during his exhibition at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, he recalled that although comics brought him money and fame, he felt they were temporary. 'I must pursue more eternal art,' he said, which led him to move his entire family to Paris.
During his stay in France, Chen Chaobao focused on painting and developed a unique personal style that blended modern ink wash painting and oil painting, such as his female body series, Buddha-seeking series, and mask series, which combined Eastern and Western characteristics. He was listed among the top 100 Chinese painters by the French government. He returned to Taiwan in 2002 to settle down and teach at his alma mater, National Taiwan University of Arts (formerly National Taiwan Academy of Arts). After retiring in 2012, he continued to create.
In recent years, in addition to holding exhibitions in his hometown of Changhua, Chen Chaobao also held a grand solo exhibition 'Chen Chaobao – The Treasure of the Great Dynasty and Great Treasure Art Dynasty' at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in 2021. He stated at the time that there were two turning points in the transformation of his painting style: one was moving his family to Paris, France, in 1983, and the other was going to Dunhuang in 1994 to copy nearly a hundred silk paintings, while also trying to incorporate comic ideas and ironic concepts into his paintings. 'Although I am not good at speaking, my paintings speak for themselves.' (Editor: Lin Shu-hui) 1150407
FAQ
When and how did Chen Chaobao pass away?
Chen Chaobao passed away on April 5, 2026, at 10:30 AM, at the age of 78, due to acute pneumonia caused by influenza.
What was Chen Chaobao's artistic journey?
He began as a cartoonist, gaining fame through comics, then moved to Paris to focus on fine art, developing a unique style that blended modern ink wash painting and oil painting.