Zhang Ding, China's answer to Picasso, died Sunday of kidney failure at the age of 94.

As one of the most influential Chinese artists of the 20th century, Zhang has a household name in the art community for his outstanding achievements in cartoons, custom prints, paintings, murals and calligraphy.

Born in Northeast China's Liaoning Province in 1917, Zhang's earliest interest in art began when he painted on a steamed bun of his mother during Chinese New Year. The young child taught himself traditional Chinese painting at the age of 5. When he was 15 years old, Zhang left his hometown for Beijing alone and was admitted to the Traditional Chinese Painting Department of the Beijing Art School.

Choosing to depict the country's harsh realities instead of idyllic leisure, Zhang created a strong backlash at both the school and in the art community during the school's two-year anniversary exhibition.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), as the art consultant of the Office of General Services of the country, Zhang was engaged in the art design of Founding Ceremony, the design of the first set of commemorating stamps of PRC, the emblem of CPPCC (National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference) and decoration and layout of Tiananmen square during the Founding Ceremony.

He advocated and researched Chinese contemporary folk art and his artistic achievements helped to break boundaries between East and West and classic and avant-garde genres.

"His caricature images, precise, provocative and appealing, borrowed extensively from traditional Chinese painting and folk art, yet were heavily influenced by Mexico caricaturist Miguel Covarrubias and enjoyed great popularity in various publications," commented art critic Li Zhaozhong in his article "Zhang Ding and Picasso."

Zhang insisted on not holding funeral service in his will, according to his wife Hui Wa. "He never attended the funerals of his relatives and friends. And the reason he decided not to hold one for himself is he would rather let people remember a lively Zhang Ding than a poker-faced corpse."

Zhang Ding's Rooster and Chick, circa 1960s.