Tracing the Past, Drawing the Future: Master Ink Painters in 20th-Century China July 2, 2010

This landmark exhibition illuminates a turning point in the development of Chinese ink painting during the 20th century. Drawing upon paintings and calligraphy on loan from Chinese collections new to American audiences, the exhibition highlights the monumental portraits, vibrant bird-and-flower painting, and spectacular landscapes by Wu Changshuo (1844-1927), Qi Baishi (1864-1957), Huang Binhong (1865-1955) and Pan Tianshou (1897-1971). Collectively known in China as the 'Four Great Masters of Ink Painting,' these artists faced the dual challenges of negotiating the impact of encounters with the West, while inventing new directions for long-held practices of ink painting.