Portraits of Mao Zedong have a fascinating story. They have been used for propaganda since 1935. The most famous Mao portrait overlooks Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It measures 6.4 by 5 meters. It weighs 1.5 tons.
That prominent spot once displayed other figures. Sun Yat-sen’s portrait first appeared there in 1929. He was the first president of the Republic of China. Later, Chiang Kai-shek’s portrait replaced Sun’s after the Sino-Japanese War. Mao’s first portrait appeared on February 12, 1949.
Many artists contributed to different versions of the portrait. Dong Xiwen designed the initial one. Zhou Lingzhao created another based on a Yan’an photograph. Xin Mang and Zhang Zhenshi also painted versions. From 1964 to 1967, Wang Guodong’s portrait was displayed. Wang Guodong and Ge Xiaoguang created the version used from 1967 to the present.
Early portraits showed Mao from different angles. Some showed “two-ears”. Others showed “one-ear”. This reflected uncertainty about how to best present him. Eventually, they settled on an idealized, benign face. It was done in a near-photographic manner. The portrait features subtle play of light and shadow. Serenity dwells on the face of the man. He gazes into nowhere. A faint smile plays on his lips. He wears a bluish-grey tunic. The background is celestial blue.
Besides the official portrait, Mao’s image appeared on countless propaganda posters. During the Cultural Revolution, his image dominated daily life. Mao was visualized as the Great Teacher. He was the Great Leader. He was the Great Helmsman. He was the Supreme Commander. He had to be painted red, bright, and shining. Grey shading and black were forbidden.
Liu Chunhua, a Red Guard, painted “Chairman Mao goes to Anyuan”. This painting became a famous poster. Over 900 million copies were printed. It showed Mao as a young revolutionary. He developed into the leader of the Cultural Revolution.
After Mao’s death in 1976, leaders tried to end the veneration of him. However, the portrait overlooking Tiananmen Square remained. The new leadership realized that removing Mao would damage the CCP’s legitimacy. In 1993, official Mao posters were published again. Today, Mao’s likeness is on Chinese money. He is affectionately called “Grandpa Mao”.
The Mao portrait continues to play a role in mass events. It appears at football meets and patriotic demonstrations. In rural areas, the Mao image remains present in homes.