Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2001

Exhibitions Art Museum Exhibitions • F l owe r a n d B i r d Pa i n t i ng o f the M i n g a n d Q i n g Pe r i o d s t o o k p l a c e at the West-wing Gallery f r om 8th September to 28th October 2001. The exhibition was jointly organized w i t h the Guangdon g Provincial Museum. One hundre d exquisite artefacts f r om the t wo museums' collections were selected for this exhibition. R e p r e s e n t a t i v e f l o w e r - a n d - b i r d p a i n t i n g s of t he M i n g a n d Q i n g p e r i o d s w e r e m o u n t ed so as t o r e c o n s t r u c t t h e development of the g e n r e , s t a r t i n g f r o m t h e C o u r t A c a d e m y s t y l e established b y L i n L i a ng a n d Lü Ji of the 15th century to t h e ' S h a n g h a i S c h o o l ' , w h i c h came into vogue i n the late 19th to the early 20th century. The p a i n t i n g s also registered diverse interpretations o f the eternal them e of man and nature b y M i n g and Q i ng artists . • Chinese Epigraphy: Inscribed Relics of Pre-Yuan Era t o o k place at the East- w i n g Ga l l e ry f r o m 8 t h Septembe r to 28th October 2001. The exhibition was jointly organized w i t h the H u n a n P r o v i n c i al M u s e u m. E i g h t y i t ems selected f r o m the t w o mu s e ums' collections were presented, i n c l u d i n g oracle b o n e s , b a m b o o or w o o d e n slips, w r i t i n g s o n silk , seals, b r o n z e vessels, l a c q u er w a r e , a n d ceramics. These inscribed relics f r om the late Shang to the Southern Song dynast y are valuable sources of i n f o rma t i on for the s t u d y of ancient Chinese culture, history, and aesthetics of calligraphy. • Three Decades of Ac qu i s i t i on at the A r t M u s e u m t o o k p l a c e f r o m 1 7 t h No v emb er 2001 to 24th February 2002. The e x h i b i t s i n c l u d e d p a i n t i n g , c a l l i g r a p h y , e p i g r a p h y , r u b b i n g s , ceramics, bronze, jade, literati accoutrements, a nd sculpture, w h i c h h a d been acquired b y the A r t - M u s e u m since its i n c e p t i o n 30 years ago. T he p a i n t i n g a n d c a l l i g r a p h y c o l l e c t i o n , consisting m a i n l y of r e p r e s e n t a t i v e w o r k s of d i v e r s e regional schools of the M i n g and Q i ng p e r i o d s , has b e e n e n r i c h ed i n recent years b y a certain amoun t of i mp o r t a n t So n g a n d Y u an pieces. A r t e f a c t s of Chinese epigraphy, i n particular w o o d and bamboo slips of Q i n and H a n times, tomb stelae of the Jin and Tang periods , and stele rubbings of the Song dynasty , have been the A r t Mu s e um ' s focus of acquisition. Its comprehensive collection News in Brief 63 Painted lacquer eared-cup, early Western Han Porcelain dish with design of happiness and longevity, Qing Monk Yuanji (1642-1707), Album of Flowers and Fruits