Wang Fangyu in Short Hills, New Jersey

Wang Fangyu: A Wenren in America, Christie's
March 18-23

During Asia Week Christie's offers the special exhibition about the scholar, collector, teacher, and artist Wang Fangyu (1913-1997), who lived in the New York area after leaving China in 1945. For those who learned from and treasured Wang Fangyu, also known as Fred Wang, and his wife Sum Wai, and for those who were not fortunate enough to know him, this is a rare opportunity to see his imaginative calligraphy and to gain a glimpse into his friendship with influential artists Zhang Daqian, Huang Junbi, Qi Gong and others. When creating the paintings and calligraphy that they made for Wang Fangyu and his wife, they clearly were inspired by such a sophisticated and talented recipient to do their best works.

Christie's exhibition, which is located on the second floor.

The exhibition was prepared by Christie's Chinese paintings specialist Sophia Zhou. Included in the display is a large landscape painting by Bada Shanren, which represents Wang Fangyu's many years of research on this artist. The highlight of the show is an album of inscriptions and paintings by 25 artists and scholars who recorded their visits with Wang Fangyu and his family between 1945 and 1993.

Accompanying the exhibition is an informative online catalogue on Christie's website that not only summarizes Wang Fangyu's biography but also explores the impact that he and his friends made on the field of Chinese painting, both its production and the understanding of its history. A selection of old photographs of Wang Fangyu and his visitors enliven the essay, click here