Centenary show revisits two masters' first meeting

A special exhibition marking the centenary of the first meeting between painters Pu Xinyu and Zhang Daqian opened on Sept 15 at the Prince Kung's Palace Museum in Beijing, bringing together 48 paintings, calligraphic works and related items from 10 museums and cultural institutions.

Organized by the museum under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the exhibition takes the two artists' first meeting in Beijing in 1926 as a starting point to explore their artistic careers, friendship and influence on China's modern painting scene.

Pu Xinyu (1896-1963), also known as Pu Ru, was the grandson of Yixin, Prince Kung of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) was a renowned painter whose courtesy name was Ji Yuan and art name Daqian. The two are often referred to as "Southern Zhang, Northern Pu", reflecting their prominence in the art worlds of southern and northern China.

Their relationship developed over several stages. After their first meeting in Beijing in 1926, the two formally became friends at Cuijin Garden in Prince Kung's Palace in 1928.

Their interactions also reflected the broader artistic landscape of the period, when artists, collectors, galleries and cultural institutions were connected through exhibitions, artistic gatherings, collaborations and the circulation of works.

Rather than simply placing works by the two painters side by side, the exhibition uses the centenary of their first meeting to examine their artistic development, networks and techniques. Held at Prince Kung's Palace Museum, where the two formally became acquainted, it also traces the network around them through gatherings, collaborations, exhibitions, art markets, introductions and collecting.

The exhibition is divided into five sections: "The Art of Pu Xinyu", "The Art of Zhang Daqian", "South-North Interaction", "Southern Zhang, Northern Pu" and "The Social and Artistic Network of Southern Zhang, Northern Pu".

The show is the first in the museum's research-oriented exhibition series on Pu Xinyu's artistic interactions. It builds on the museum's earlier research and exhibitions exploring the relationship between Prince Kung's Palace and Pu Xinyu.

Participating institutions include the Prince Kung's Palace Museum, the Palace Museum and the National Art Museum of China.

The exhibition runs through Dec 13.