Collecting paintings and calligraphy not only reflect a literati's taste, but his grounding in cultural heritage. Following the establishment of a number of museums throughout China in the twentieth century, the availability of ancient artworks in the art market further declined. At this time it was nearly impossible to establish a large-scale and fully representative collection of ancient artworks by private collectors comparable to those achieved by their counterparts in earlier periods. Set against this backdrop, Hong Kong has by contrast played an important role in the art market since the last century due to special historical and political reasons.
The Xubaizhai Gallery of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy was built in 1992 to provide a permanent home for internationally acclaimed Xubaizhai Collection donated to the Hong Kong Museum of Art in 1989 by Low Chuck Tiew (1911 – 1993). The inauguration of the Xubaizhai Gallery is also a tribute to the generous gesture of an eminent connoisseur in turning an important private collection into a valuable public one.
The Xubaizhai Collection encompasses works dated from the Northern Dynasties (386 – 581) through to the twentieth century and is particularly strong in works by the masters of the major schools of the Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1911) dynasties, including the Wu School, the Songjiang School, the Four Monks, the Orthodox School and the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou. The present exhibition features works of painting selected from these two periods. Additionally, this selection of the Xubaizhai Collection provides the viewer with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics of the collection and Mr Low's aesthetic leanings.
Audio Guide
Wu Li (1632 – 1718)
Autumn morning in the mountain lake (section)
1704
Ink and colour on paper
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