Untitled

Jin Xiya|Pang Guojun|Wu Dongmai

1942 (bamboo carving); undated (fan painting); 1958 (fan calligraphy) · Folding fan; ink and color on paper with carved bamboo frame · Asian Art

This folding fan features exquisite carvings on its outer ribs by Jin Xiya (1890–1979), the finest bamboo artist active in twentieth-century China. This work showcase Jin’s virtuosic command of traditional bamboo carving as well as his creative experimentation. His works incorporate compositions from designs contributed by important modern artists, such as Zhao Shuru (1874–1945) and Wu Hufan (1894–1968) on this piece. This fan is further embellished with painting and calligraphy by his contemporary artists—shedding light on the dense web of social and artistic relationships among China’s elite during a time of wrenching change in the mid-twentieth century. According to the archival list of Jin’s works (fan frame #241), the bamboo carving was completed on October 21, 1942.

Artist

Jin Xiya|Pang Guojun|Wu Dongmai

Date

1942 (bamboo carving); undated (fan painting); 1958 (fan calligraphy)

Medium

Folding fan; ink and color on paper with carved bamboo frame

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Jin Xiya's granddaughters: Joyce King, Sandra King Frazier, Lynda King Clark, and Donna King-Luft, 2022