Wang Guodong, painter of Mao Zedong's Tiananmen Square portrait, dies at 88

Wang Guodong, the artist who created the massive portrait of Mao Zedong displayed in Tiananmen Square, passed away on September 2, 2019. He was first commissioned in 1964 to produce the 4.5 x 6 meter painting, which he renewed annually until 1976. His successors, apprentices appointed by Wang, continued using his original work as a template. The initial design, based on a government-issued photograph, depicted Mao with his face slightly turned, showing only one ear. This sparked controversy among government critics who claimed it suggested Mao listened to only part of the public. Wang faced punishment but was permitted to create a revised version where both of Mao's ears were visible. In 1972, Andy Warhol utilized Wang's painting as inspiration for his repeated screenprints.