Cheng was born in Shanghai. He enrolled at the Shanghai Academy of Fine Art (上海美术专科学校) in 1938, where he was mentored by several teachers, Wang Gefang (王个簃), Li Zhongqian (李仲乾) and Wang Shengyuan (汪声远). Li Zhongqian gave the name “Shifa” to Cheng, who continued to use this moniker throughout his artistic career. Cheng graduated from the academy in 1941. Shortly after the liberation of Shanghai in 1949, he joined the Shanghai Peoples’ Fine Arts Publishing House (上海人民美术出版社) as a professional artist and the Shanghai Chinese Painting Academy (上海中国画) as a teacher in 1956. He became its President in 1984 and remained their honorary President in his twilight years.

On the left side of this horizontal scroll, Cheng inscribed dedications to NAFA:

“乙丑新秋

程十发写于南洋美专

[New Autumn, Cheng Shi Fa wrote in Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts]”

This ink painting was produced during the 1980s, the same decade in which Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts acquired it. This decade was crucial in NAFA’s progression as an institution as it established its Music and Dance Departments in 1984. As such, this artwork, which visually articulates themes and forms of music and their accoutrements, was particularly relevant to NAFA’s growth at that time. Cheng’s remarkable works were featured in the academy’s previous exhibition, A song, a whisper and a wish: works from the NAFA Permanent Collection featuring music.