Born to a literati family in Shanghai, China, Huang Yao (1914-1987) received his formative education from his father in classical literati traditions and calligraphy, particularly in the archaic scripts of oracle bone and bronze inscription. In the 1930s, he gained recognition as a talented cartoonist for creating the comic character “Niu Bi Zi” which was widely used as an educational resource in schools. Huang travelled to Southeast Asia after the end of World War II in 1945, and resided in different countries before settling permanently in Malaysia in 1956. He worked primarily as an art educator until his retirement in 1973. A prolific artist, he had held 23 solo and group exhibitions and six retrospective exhibitions.Another genre in Huang’s repertoire is the painting of folklore and mythology. He often painted familiar themes and subjects seen in traditional art, such as the popular God of Longevity. However, Huang was not content with mere replication and sought to discover new presentations. Even when comparing this work with another by him in the SAM collection of the same deity, there are marked differences. The deity here is almost recognizable, and is identified only by his characteristic high forehead and the peach in the corner.
