FU BAOSHI (1904-1965)
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : Music and dance
Chronology : 1942 1944 1945 1946 1954 1965
See also : Music and dance
Chronology : 1942 1944 1945 1946 1954 1965
Intro
Fu Baoshi (1904–1965), one of the most influential Chinese painters of the 20th century, revolutionized traditional ink painting while navigating profound personal and historical turmoil. Born into poverty in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, he endured a harsh childhood: his family struggled financially, with many siblings dying young, leaving him reliant on his widowed mother. Self-taught initially through menial jobs in porcelain shops and seal-carving, he rose through determination, studying in Japan (1933–1935) and becoming a scholar-painter admired for his deep knowledge of art history, particularly his obsession with the individualistic Qing painter Shitao (whom he "embraced" by changing his name to Baoshi).
His life spanned immense upheaval: the fall of the Qing dynasty, warlord era, Japanese invasion (1937–1945), and the Communist Revolution (1949). These events shaped a resilient yet introspective personality—evident in his scholarly devotion, innovative spirit, and patriotic fervor. He often painted while inebriated to achieve emotional and physical presence in his work, suggesting a reliance on altered states for creative flow and possibly emotional release amid stress.
Psychologically, Fu Baoshi appears to have been a highly adaptive individualist with strong identification tendencies. His lifelong reverence for historical figures like the exiled poet Qu Yuan—depicted repeatedly with emphasis on psychological suffering, isolation, and noble despair—mirrors potential projections of his own experiences of hardship, displacement (e.g., fleeing to Chongqing during the war), and cultural preservation amid chaos. Qu Yuan's theme of loyal dissent in a corrupt world resonates with Fu's role as a reformer bridging tradition and modernity, resisting both Western domination and rigid ideology.
His art reveals themes of solitude, melancholy grandeur, and turbulent emotion: dramatic landscapes with his signature "Baoshi wrinkles" (scattered, bold brushstrokes evoking rain, mist, and energy) convey dynamism and inner turmoil, contrasting serene classical traditions. This expressive, sometimes chaotic style—incorporating splattered ink and vibrant washes—suggests a personality channeling anxiety from historical trauma into cathartic creation, fostering resilience rather than breakdown.
Later works adapted to Mao-era demands (e.g., revolutionary scenes or Mao's poetry illustrations like Heaven and Earth Glowing Red), showing pragmatic flexibility without apparent loss of core individualism. No records indicate clinical mental illness; instead, his productivity, teaching, and family life point to effective coping through art, scholarship, and occasional intoxication as a tool for immersion.
In summary, Fu Baoshi's life and art reflect a psychologically robust response to adversity: profound empathy for historical/existential suffering, innovative drive as sublimation, and balanced adaptation to political pressures. His legacy embodies emotional depth and cultural endurance.
His life spanned immense upheaval: the fall of the Qing dynasty, warlord era, Japanese invasion (1937–1945), and the Communist Revolution (1949). These events shaped a resilient yet introspective personality—evident in his scholarly devotion, innovative spirit, and patriotic fervor. He often painted while inebriated to achieve emotional and physical presence in his work, suggesting a reliance on altered states for creative flow and possibly emotional release amid stress.
Psychologically, Fu Baoshi appears to have been a highly adaptive individualist with strong identification tendencies. His lifelong reverence for historical figures like the exiled poet Qu Yuan—depicted repeatedly with emphasis on psychological suffering, isolation, and noble despair—mirrors potential projections of his own experiences of hardship, displacement (e.g., fleeing to Chongqing during the war), and cultural preservation amid chaos. Qu Yuan's theme of loyal dissent in a corrupt world resonates with Fu's role as a reformer bridging tradition and modernity, resisting both Western domination and rigid ideology.
His art reveals themes of solitude, melancholy grandeur, and turbulent emotion: dramatic landscapes with his signature "Baoshi wrinkles" (scattered, bold brushstrokes evoking rain, mist, and energy) convey dynamism and inner turmoil, contrasting serene classical traditions. This expressive, sometimes chaotic style—incorporating splattered ink and vibrant washes—suggests a personality channeling anxiety from historical trauma into cathartic creation, fostering resilience rather than breakdown.
Later works adapted to Mao-era demands (e.g., revolutionary scenes or Mao's poetry illustrations like Heaven and Earth Glowing Red), showing pragmatic flexibility without apparent loss of core individualism. No records indicate clinical mental illness; instead, his productivity, teaching, and family life point to effective coping through art, scholarship, and occasional intoxication as a tool for immersion.
In summary, Fu Baoshi's life and art reflect a psychologically robust response to adversity: profound empathy for historical/existential suffering, innovative drive as sublimation, and balanced adaptation to political pressures. His legacy embodies emotional depth and cultural endurance.
1942 Shi Tao Cottage
2020 SOLD for RMB 138M by China Guardian
Before being one of the most eclectic Chinese artists, Fu Baoshi had been an art historian, specializing in the evolution of styles. He found an inspiration in a landscape painter from the early Qing period named Shi Tao. "Baoshi" means "one who integrates Shi".
Shi Tao's theories establish the link, which will also interest Lacan, between the elementary brushstroke and the universality that the global work can achieve. Shi was influenced by the great innovator Bada Shanren (Zhu Da), with whom he corresponded regularly. Shi works in lines and washes and dilutes his ink to obtain contrasts.
Shi Tao was not looking for fame. He ends his life in a humble cottage near Yangzhou. Very distant geographically from Zhu, they could not meet one another. When Shi asks Zhu to illustrate his new home, it can only be through the imagination.
Much to the delight of his friend Xu Beihong, Fu goes into practice in 1942. He imagines the work that Zhu could have done for Shi. The foreground is occupied by two large trees, in an impressionist blur made up of several densities of wash. Further on, the drawing of the thatched cottage is sharp. Shi is standing in the hallway looking upward to take in the vastness of nature.
This 58 cm wide work on paper is made up of two elements : below, the ink and colors by Fu is 84 cm high ; above, a two-part calligraphy by Xu is 23 cm high. It was sold for RMB 138M by China Guardian on December 1, 2020, lot 185. The image is included by China Daily in their list of the top 2020 Chinese art at auction.
Shi Tao's theories establish the link, which will also interest Lacan, between the elementary brushstroke and the universality that the global work can achieve. Shi was influenced by the great innovator Bada Shanren (Zhu Da), with whom he corresponded regularly. Shi works in lines and washes and dilutes his ink to obtain contrasts.
Shi Tao was not looking for fame. He ends his life in a humble cottage near Yangzhou. Very distant geographically from Zhu, they could not meet one another. When Shi asks Zhu to illustrate his new home, it can only be through the imagination.
Much to the delight of his friend Xu Beihong, Fu goes into practice in 1942. He imagines the work that Zhu could have done for Shi. The foreground is occupied by two large trees, in an impressionist blur made up of several densities of wash. Further on, the drawing of the thatched cottage is sharp. Shi is standing in the hallway looking upward to take in the vastness of nature.
This 58 cm wide work on paper is made up of two elements : below, the ink and colors by Fu is 84 cm high ; above, a two-part calligraphy by Xu is 23 cm high. It was sold for RMB 138M by China Guardian on December 1, 2020, lot 185. The image is included by China Daily in their list of the top 2020 Chinese art at auction.
1944 Landscape in Jingangpo
2012 SOLD for RMB 92M by Poly
The Chinese pictorial art has a unique feature: throughout 2,000 years, it has evolved without ever being outfashioned, so that modern artists have again found their inspiration in the most ancient of their predecessors.
Fu Baoshi was a connoisseur of ancient Chinese painting and poetry. The vertical format of his landscapes, deriving from the scroll, first disturbs and then amazes the Western observer accustomed to be presented with wide horizontal perspectives.
He is also traditional in his subjects. The calm and beauty of the hills excite him. He looks for such a spirit in the ancient poems that he calligraphies in his artworks, in accordance with tradition.
But Fu Baoshi developed also an innovative technique, which fits perfectly in the history of international modern art. The general atmosphere is created by subtle ink washes gently mixed, supplemented by a myriad of details. This mixing of realism and impressionism is very successful.
A large format ink painting 208 x 60 cm was sold for HK $ 60M by Christie's on November 29, 2009, lot 621, and for RMB 92M by Poly on June 3,2012, lot 3859. It is showing a landscape of mountains, inspired by a Tang dynasty poem by Dufu. It was made in 1944, at a time when Fu reached his highest artistic maturity.
This artwork was carried out by Fu in Jingangpo. To better experience the beauty of Sichuan mountains, he lived and worked in a tiny hut. The vertical format enhances the mystical character of the landscape. The characters walk in the lower end of the scenery, but the immensity of the peaks has a soothing and welcoming effect.
In the same style, Trekking Over Mountains in Moonlight, hanging scroll in ink and color on paper 177 x 57 cm painted by Fu Baoshi in 1945, was sold for HK $ 93M by Sotheby's on October 2, 2017, lot 1291.
Fu Baoshi was a connoisseur of ancient Chinese painting and poetry. The vertical format of his landscapes, deriving from the scroll, first disturbs and then amazes the Western observer accustomed to be presented with wide horizontal perspectives.
He is also traditional in his subjects. The calm and beauty of the hills excite him. He looks for such a spirit in the ancient poems that he calligraphies in his artworks, in accordance with tradition.
But Fu Baoshi developed also an innovative technique, which fits perfectly in the history of international modern art. The general atmosphere is created by subtle ink washes gently mixed, supplemented by a myriad of details. This mixing of realism and impressionism is very successful.
A large format ink painting 208 x 60 cm was sold for HK $ 60M by Christie's on November 29, 2009, lot 621, and for RMB 92M by Poly on June 3,2012, lot 3859. It is showing a landscape of mountains, inspired by a Tang dynasty poem by Dufu. It was made in 1944, at a time when Fu reached his highest artistic maturity.
This artwork was carried out by Fu in Jingangpo. To better experience the beauty of Sichuan mountains, he lived and worked in a tiny hut. The vertical format enhances the mystical character of the landscape. The characters walk in the lower end of the scenery, but the immensity of the peaks has a soothing and welcoming effect.
In the same style, Trekking Over Mountains in Moonlight, hanging scroll in ink and color on paper 177 x 57 cm painted by Fu Baoshi in 1945, was sold for HK $ 93M by Sotheby's on October 2, 2017, lot 1291.
1945 The Song of the Pipa Player
Intro
Compare three examples of The Song of the Pipa Player by Fu Baoshi : 1944 (Nanjing Museum) ; 1945 (sold by Christie's on November 28, 2017, lot 8801) ; mid 1940s (sold by Poly on June 17, 2018, lot 1779). Significance in the artist's career.
Overview of the Theme
Fu Baoshi (1904–1965) drew inspiration from Bai Juyi's famous Tang dynasty poem The Song of the Pipa Player (琵琶行), which recounts a melancholic encounter between the exiled poet and a pipa-playing courtesan on a moonlit riverbank. The theme of shared exile and sorrow resonated deeply with Fu during the 1940s, amid the Sino-Japanese War and his own displacement to Chongqing. He created multiple versions in the mid-1940s, blending traditional guohua techniques with innovative brushwork, dramatic lighting, and emotional depth. These works represent the pinnacle of his figure painting before shifting focus to landscapes post-1949.
The Three Examples
Comparison
Date
1944 : Spring 1944
1945 : Early 1945
Undated : ca. 1944–1945 (undated)
Composition
1944 : Group scene with central tree dividing figures; balanced narrative
1945 : Intense diagonal tension via oversized maple tree; dramatic staging
Undated : Closer focus on pipa player; broader environmental mood
Technique
1944 : Refined, classical figures; subtle moonlight
1945 : Bolder, freer brush in foliage; strong light-shadow contrast; expressive faces
Undated : Intimate emotional rendering; poetic integration
Mood/Innovation
1944 : Foundational melancholy; traditional roots
1945 : Peak maturity and confidence; revolutionary drama
Undated : Poetic intimacy; subtle environmental depth
Size/Provenance
1944 : Museum collection
1945 : 113 × 66 cm; K'ung family
Undated : Larger; private to auction
Market Value
1944 : Invaluable (museum)
1945 : Record HK$204.85M
Undated : RMB 103.5M
The 1944 version establishes the theme's structure, the 1945 refines it into a bold, theatrical masterpiece, and the mid-1940s variant offers a more lyrical, focused variation.
Significance in Fu Baoshi's Career
These mid-1940s Pipa Player works mark the height of Fu's figure painting during his "Diamond Slope" period in wartime Chongqing (1939–1946), when personal hardship mirrored the poem's exile theme. They showcase his revolutionary style: fusing ancient literati traditions with bold, expressive brushwork ("hugashi splash" technique) and Western-influenced chiaroscuro for emotional depth. Fu's daughter recalled these as among his earliest and most beloved lady portraits. Post-1949, under new political realities favoring landscapes, he rarely returned to figures—making this series a rare, poignant testament to his pre-liberation innovation and one of the most iconic bodies of work in 20th-century Chinese painting.
Overview of the Theme
Fu Baoshi (1904–1965) drew inspiration from Bai Juyi's famous Tang dynasty poem The Song of the Pipa Player (琵琶行), which recounts a melancholic encounter between the exiled poet and a pipa-playing courtesan on a moonlit riverbank. The theme of shared exile and sorrow resonated deeply with Fu during the 1940s, amid the Sino-Japanese War and his own displacement to Chongqing. He created multiple versions in the mid-1940s, blending traditional guohua techniques with innovative brushwork, dramatic lighting, and emotional depth. These works represent the pinnacle of his figure painting before shifting focus to landscapes post-1949.
The Three Examples
- 1944 Version (Nanjing Museum Collection)
This is a definitive early rendition, dated to spring 1944 (甲申之春). It features a nocturnal riverside scene with the pipa player, poet Bai Juyi, guests, attendants, and a horse, divided by a central maple tree. The composition emphasizes melancholy under moonlight, with refined figure detailing inspired by ancient masters like Gu Kaizhi. It is considered a foundational work in the series, housed permanently in the Nanjing Museum. - 1945 Version (Sold at Christie's, November 28, 2017, Lot 8801)
Dated explicitly to early 1945 (乙酉驚蟄前二日, in Chongqing), this hanging scroll (113 × 66 cm, ink and color on paper) is widely regarded as Fu's masterpiece in the series. Formerly in the prestigious collection of K'ung Hsiang-Hsi (Kong Xiangxi), it sold for HK$204.85 million (approx. US$26 million), setting a record for Fu's works at the time. Compared to the 1944 version, it shows greater maturity: bolder composition with a dominant central maple tree creating tension, heightened dramatic contrast in light and shadow (e.g., moonlight on the river), more expressive faces, and freer brushwork in foliage. Fu sealed it "抱石得心之作" (a work from the heart), indicating personal satisfaction. - Mid-1940s Version (Sold at Poly Auction, June 17, 2018, Lot 1779)
This undated work, styled as The Song of the Pipa Player Poem Intent (琵琶行诗意), is attributed to circa 1944–1945 based on style. Larger in scale (approx. 178 × 56 cm), it focuses more intimately on the pipa player as the central figure, with Bai Juyi and fewer attendants, incorporating poetic inscriptions (including lines from Guo Moruo). It sold for RMB 103.5 million. The composition pulls back slightly for environmental context (moon, distant houses), emphasizing the player's emotional intensity over the full group narrative seen in the other two.
Comparison
Date
1944 : Spring 1944
1945 : Early 1945
Undated : ca. 1944–1945 (undated)
Composition
1944 : Group scene with central tree dividing figures; balanced narrative
1945 : Intense diagonal tension via oversized maple tree; dramatic staging
Undated : Closer focus on pipa player; broader environmental mood
Technique
1944 : Refined, classical figures; subtle moonlight
1945 : Bolder, freer brush in foliage; strong light-shadow contrast; expressive faces
Undated : Intimate emotional rendering; poetic integration
Mood/Innovation
1944 : Foundational melancholy; traditional roots
1945 : Peak maturity and confidence; revolutionary drama
Undated : Poetic intimacy; subtle environmental depth
Size/Provenance
1944 : Museum collection
1945 : 113 × 66 cm; K'ung family
Undated : Larger; private to auction
Market Value
1944 : Invaluable (museum)
1945 : Record HK$204.85M
Undated : RMB 103.5M
The 1944 version establishes the theme's structure, the 1945 refines it into a bold, theatrical masterpiece, and the mid-1940s variant offers a more lyrical, focused variation.
Significance in Fu Baoshi's Career
These mid-1940s Pipa Player works mark the height of Fu's figure painting during his "Diamond Slope" period in wartime Chongqing (1939–1946), when personal hardship mirrored the poem's exile theme. They showcase his revolutionary style: fusing ancient literati traditions with bold, expressive brushwork ("hugashi splash" technique) and Western-influenced chiaroscuro for emotional depth. Fu's daughter recalled these as among his earliest and most beloved lady portraits. Post-1949, under new political realities favoring landscapes, he rarely returned to figures—making this series a rare, poignant testament to his pre-liberation innovation and one of the most iconic bodies of work in 20th-century Chinese painting.
1
2017 SOLD for HK$ 205M by Christie's
Bai Juyi's long poem is a masterpiece of realistic song, admired for its intense emotion, recited and illustrated by the Chinese since it was composed 1,200 years ago under the Tang Dynasty. A fallen politician drifts away in a chilly autumn night until he hears the lute and the wonderful song of an aging woman who has lost her appeal and has been fired from the court.
This poem inspires Fu Baoshi, certainly from his years of training in Japan. In his innovative style that combines tradition and modernism, Fu considers that the artist must be completely imbued with the literary model to recreate the atmosphere.
In 1944 and 1945 in trials of increasing complication, Fu composed his visual interpretation of the poem of Bai, bringing all the significant elements : the man and the woman, the colors of autumn in the moonlight. At the same time he works on the expression of Qu Yuan's political poems which immerse him with the symbolic role of ghosts in Taoism.
An early example of the Pipa Player, hanging scroll 118 x 35 cm dated 1944, is owned by the museum of Nanjing. It portrays the singing woman listened by the poet and the guest on a shore, in a boat or a pavilion.
A 113 x 66 cm hanging scroll made in 1945 from the Song of the Pipa Player was sold by Christie's for HK $ 70M on November 30, 2010, lot 2640, and for HK $ 205M on November 28, 2017, lot 8801.
The composition is one of the most complex made by Fu on this theme. It shows at the ends of the diagonal two well separated groups of three people each. The foreground group consists of servants with a saddled horse. The main group consisting of the politician-poet, a friend and the musician woman appears through the big tree, reminding the location in the sky of the gods of Taoism.
Fu expresses his own emotional encounter with Bai's poem. The figures are finely drawn in the tradition of Japanese figuration, enabling to display the sadness in the face of the woman and the tears in the eyes of the men.
This poem inspires Fu Baoshi, certainly from his years of training in Japan. In his innovative style that combines tradition and modernism, Fu considers that the artist must be completely imbued with the literary model to recreate the atmosphere.
In 1944 and 1945 in trials of increasing complication, Fu composed his visual interpretation of the poem of Bai, bringing all the significant elements : the man and the woman, the colors of autumn in the moonlight. At the same time he works on the expression of Qu Yuan's political poems which immerse him with the symbolic role of ghosts in Taoism.
An early example of the Pipa Player, hanging scroll 118 x 35 cm dated 1944, is owned by the museum of Nanjing. It portrays the singing woman listened by the poet and the guest on a shore, in a boat or a pavilion.
A 113 x 66 cm hanging scroll made in 1945 from the Song of the Pipa Player was sold by Christie's for HK $ 70M on November 30, 2010, lot 2640, and for HK $ 205M on November 28, 2017, lot 8801.
The composition is one of the most complex made by Fu on this theme. It shows at the ends of the diagonal two well separated groups of three people each. The foreground group consists of servants with a saddled horse. The main group consisting of the politician-poet, a friend and the musician woman appears through the big tree, reminding the location in the sky of the gods of Taoism.
Fu expresses his own emotional encounter with Bai's poem. The figures are finely drawn in the tradition of Japanese figuration, enabling to display the sadness in the face of the woman and the tears in the eyes of the men.
2
2018 SOLD for RMB 104M by Poly
Another view, hanging scroll 178 x 56 cm, features the same group of three on the shore in a bright aperture through a tree. The image is sharply focused by the bright color of the shirt of the singing woman. Her luth is displayed full front. The white horse is drinking on the other bank of the river. A landscape appears in the upper side.
This example was sold for RMB 83M by China Guardian on November 13, 2011, lot 1222, and for RMB 104M by Poly on June 17, 2018, lot 1779. It is dated in the mid 1940s by Poly. The image is shared by Artnet.
This example was sold for RMB 83M by China Guardian on November 13, 2011, lot 1222, and for RMB 104M by Poly on June 17, 2018, lot 1779. It is dated in the mid 1940s by Poly. The image is shared by Artnet.
1945 Lady under the Willow Tree
2021 SOLD for RMB 98M by Poly
Fu Baoshi executed from 1940 the portraits of noble antique women as a symbol of purity and a counter-reaction to on-going war and chaos. He imitated the charming ladies of the Tang dynasty with heavy makeup and slender eyebrows. Their charming and graceful images are filled with a mute melancholy.
Fu and his wife Luo Shihui were in deep love. In 1945 for her 35th birthday, he painted the figure of a tall young lady in a light pink dress and very long skirt, standing in an aerial attitude in the shade of a willow. She has a neat hair and a delicate face turned to the right. The work includes a detailed inscription about the hard life in Chongqing in the previous six years.
This hanging scroll in ink on paper 74 x 42 cm was sold for RMB 98M by Poly on December 3, 2021, lot 3555. It is illustrated in the article shared by LaiTimes.
Fu and his wife Luo Shihui were in deep love. In 1945 for her 35th birthday, he painted the figure of a tall young lady in a light pink dress and very long skirt, standing in an aerial attitude in the shade of a willow. She has a neat hair and a delicate face turned to the right. The work includes a detailed inscription about the hard life in Chongqing in the previous six years.
This hanging scroll in ink on paper 74 x 42 cm was sold for RMB 98M by Poly on December 3, 2021, lot 3555. It is illustrated in the article shared by LaiTimes.
1946 Two Goddesses of the River Xiang
2020 SOLD for RMB 105M by Poly
Fu Baoshi made his career in Nanjing, the capital of the South. Wanting to join his own emotions to the oldest traditions of China, he is one of the most subtle artists of his time. His art studies in Tokyo brought an undeniable Japanese influence to his figuration of faces.
Fu Baoshi is his artist's name taken at the age of 18 to express his admiration for Shitao, the visionary artist of early Qing time who positioned the tiny human activity within the unfathomable immensity of nature.
Fu's meeting with the eminent scholar Guo Moruo in 1943 draws the artist's attention to the poems of Qu Yuan, collected under the Han. This semi-legendary poet from the dark period of the Warring States is an equivalent of Homer. He provides an invaluable link with ancient mythologies, posing mystical questions without seeking to provide answers.
On June 5, 2017, Poly sold for RMB 64M Mountain Ghost, a scenery including and illustrating a poem by Qu Yuan, lot 2250. Made in 1945 this ink and colors 133 x 66 cm is resolutely original by its entanglement of the lines and by the striking contrast between the actions on the ground and in the clouds.
The young woman in the foreground is a symbol of beauty which already inspired the artists of the Song dynasty interpreting the same poem. She seems standing but the lower part of her gown does not touch the ground. The stormy sky releases for the careful observer two divinities harnessed behind the red leopard.
On May 15, 2016, China Guardian sold for RMB 52M a scroll of same size made in 1946 starring the same characters. The features of the dress blend into the landscape and the seated attitude of this ghost is therefore another illusion.
In 1949 Guo becomes one of the top leaders of the new People's Republic. Using the story of Qu Yuan's suicide protesting against the invasion of his country by the Qin, he makes the old poet an exemplary martyr of the Chinese patriotism. Fu continues to illustrate the gods and clouds of Qu Yuan. A large 223 x 133 cm picture painted in 1954 remained unsold at Poly in June 2013.
Two Goddesses of the River Xiang was sold for RMB 105M by Poly on December 4, 2020, lot 0639. This hanging scroll, ink and color on paper 165 × 44 cm, was executed by Fu Baoshi. It is illustrated post sale by The Value. It is dated 1946 by The Value.
Its theme frequently used by Fu is inspired from the Jiu Ge series of poems attributed to Qu Yuan narrating ca the 3rd century BCE the suicide of two mythological figures after the death of Emperor Shun. The two noble women are featured in two registers in that scroll.
Fu Baoshi is his artist's name taken at the age of 18 to express his admiration for Shitao, the visionary artist of early Qing time who positioned the tiny human activity within the unfathomable immensity of nature.
Fu's meeting with the eminent scholar Guo Moruo in 1943 draws the artist's attention to the poems of Qu Yuan, collected under the Han. This semi-legendary poet from the dark period of the Warring States is an equivalent of Homer. He provides an invaluable link with ancient mythologies, posing mystical questions without seeking to provide answers.
On June 5, 2017, Poly sold for RMB 64M Mountain Ghost, a scenery including and illustrating a poem by Qu Yuan, lot 2250. Made in 1945 this ink and colors 133 x 66 cm is resolutely original by its entanglement of the lines and by the striking contrast between the actions on the ground and in the clouds.
The young woman in the foreground is a symbol of beauty which already inspired the artists of the Song dynasty interpreting the same poem. She seems standing but the lower part of her gown does not touch the ground. The stormy sky releases for the careful observer two divinities harnessed behind the red leopard.
On May 15, 2016, China Guardian sold for RMB 52M a scroll of same size made in 1946 starring the same characters. The features of the dress blend into the landscape and the seated attitude of this ghost is therefore another illusion.
In 1949 Guo becomes one of the top leaders of the new People's Republic. Using the story of Qu Yuan's suicide protesting against the invasion of his country by the Qin, he makes the old poet an exemplary martyr of the Chinese patriotism. Fu continues to illustrate the gods and clouds of Qu Yuan. A large 223 x 133 cm picture painted in 1954 remained unsold at Poly in June 2013.
Two Goddesses of the River Xiang was sold for RMB 105M by Poly on December 4, 2020, lot 0639. This hanging scroll, ink and color on paper 165 × 44 cm, was executed by Fu Baoshi. It is illustrated post sale by The Value. It is dated 1946 by The Value.
Its theme frequently used by Fu is inspired from the Jiu Ge series of poems attributed to Qu Yuan narrating ca the 3rd century BCE the suicide of two mythological figures after the death of Emperor Shun. The two noble women are featured in two registers in that scroll.
1954 God of Cloud and Great Lord of Fate
2016 SOLD for RMB 230M by Poly
God of Cloud and Great Lord of Fate is a large size painting executed in 1954 by Fu Baoshi in his series of gods and fairies inspired from the poems by Qu Yuan.
The God of Cloud is in charge of the wind, rain, thunder and lightning. The two deities are androgynous. Guo Moruo believes that they are female in the signature theme of the artist. The cloud is an excuse for the blur surrounding the two sharply drawn portraits in bust.
Kept in Fu's family for generations, this ink and color on paper 114 x 315 cm was sold for RMB 230M from a lower estimate of RMB 180M by Poly on June 4, 2016, lot 320. It is illustrated in the bottom of the page in an article shared in 2020 by The Value reminding it as the top price at auction for the artist.
The God of Cloud is in charge of the wind, rain, thunder and lightning. The two deities are androgynous. Guo Moruo believes that they are female in the signature theme of the artist. The cloud is an excuse for the blur surrounding the two sharply drawn portraits in bust.
Kept in Fu's family for generations, this ink and color on paper 114 x 315 cm was sold for RMB 230M from a lower estimate of RMB 180M by Poly on June 4, 2016, lot 320. It is illustrated in the bottom of the page in an article shared in 2020 by The Value reminding it as the top price at auction for the artist.
1958 Dielianhua
2018 SOLD for RMB 133M by China Guardian
In his poetry, Chairman Mao managed to mingle romanticism and revolution. In 1957 he was deeply moved when the widow of Liu Zhixun, a Communist leader executed in an internal purge, mailed to him a poem written by her in 1933 assimilating her martyred husband to a bodhisattva.
Mao made a parallel with the story of his own beloved wife Yang Kaihui executed by the Guomindang in 1930. His autograph reply poem to the widow is titled Dieluanhua which is a reference to his story with Yang.
The Dielianhua is made of eight sentences, one for comparing the two martyrs, five a romantic view about the sky and the last two a come back to revolution.
While attending a lecture of Mao's poems, Fu Baoshi was so overwhelmed by the Dielianhua that he managed to illustrate it in a painting, which was unprecedented as a tribute to the Chairman and required to reach an exquisite perfection.
Fu staged a heavy rain pierced by two characters. The goddess of the moon, Chang'e, is dancing in a brilliant light, attended behind her by the folklore hero Wu Gang offering the wine. Yang and Liu are symbolized by willows as in Mao's poem. The dead tiger representing the reactionary forces is symbolized by three mountains.
Dielianhua, hanging scroll in ink and color on paper 167 x 84 cm, was sold for RMB 133M by China Guardian on November 20, 2018, lot 333.
Mao made a parallel with the story of his own beloved wife Yang Kaihui executed by the Guomindang in 1930. His autograph reply poem to the widow is titled Dieluanhua which is a reference to his story with Yang.
The Dielianhua is made of eight sentences, one for comparing the two martyrs, five a romantic view about the sky and the last two a come back to revolution.
While attending a lecture of Mao's poems, Fu Baoshi was so overwhelmed by the Dielianhua that he managed to illustrate it in a painting, which was unprecedented as a tribute to the Chairman and required to reach an exquisite perfection.
Fu staged a heavy rain pierced by two characters. The goddess of the moon, Chang'e, is dancing in a brilliant light, attended behind her by the folklore hero Wu Gang offering the wine. Yang and Liu are symbolized by willows as in Mao's poem. The dead tiger representing the reactionary forces is symbolized by three mountains.
Dielianhua, hanging scroll in ink and color on paper 167 x 84 cm, was sold for RMB 133M by China Guardian on November 20, 2018, lot 333.
1964-1965 Chairman Mao's Poems Octavo Volumes
2011 SOLD for RMB 230M by Hanhai
Fu Baoshi was a native of Jiangxi province like Mao Zedong. He used to illustrate Mao's poems by mountain sceneries.
A set of eight views 33 x 46.5 cm executed in 1964-1965 is titled Chairman Mao's Octavo Volumes. It was sold for RMB 230M by Hanhai on November 17, 2011.
Chairman Mao's Octavo Volumes (also known as Mao Zhuxi Shiyi Ba Kai or Chairman Mao's Poetry Octavo Volumes) is an album of eight ink and color on paper paintings, each measuring 33 × 46.5 cm, created by Fu Baoshi (1904–1965) between 1964 and 1965.
Details of the Artwork
This set consists of landscape illustrations inspired by Mao Zedong's poems, blending traditional Chinese ink techniques with romantic, atmospheric depictions of mountains, rivers, rain, and revolutionary motifs (such as red flags or modern constructions like bridges). The eight leaves are titled as follows:
The album was sold at Beijing Hanhai Auction on November 17, 2011, starting at RMB 100 million, hammering at RMB 200 million (plus buyer's premium), for a total of RMB 230 million (approximately US$36 million at the time). It set a record for Fu Baoshi's works in 2011 and remains one of his top auction prices.
Significance in Fu Baoshi's Career
This album represents the culmination of Fu Baoshi's late-period exploration of Mao Zedong's poetry as subject matter, a theme he pioneered starting in the early 1950s (creating nearly 200 such works over 15 years). As a native of Jiangxi (like Mao), Fu felt a personal connection and was deeply moved by poems like Qinyuan Chun · Xue, which inspired his shift toward politically aligned art while retaining his innovative style.In the context of post-1949 China, where artists were encouraged to serve socialist ideology, Fu's Mao poetry illustrations revolutionized traditional guohua (Chinese ink painting) by infusing it with modern revolutionary spirit—bold compositions, splash-ink techniques, and subtle political symbols—without sacrificing aesthetic individuality. He became the most prolific and influential artist in this genre, providing a model for depicting "new China" through landscapes.
Created during Fu's absolute peak (just before his death in September 1965), this set is considered his masterpiece and a "collector's summit" in 20th-century Chinese painting. It embodies his lifelong pursuit of merging poetry, emotion, and brushwork, while navigating the political demands of the era. The work's historical, artistic, and market value (long hailed as Fu's "first masterpiece" in landscapes) underscores its pivotal role in cementing his legacy as a bridge between tradition and modern Chinese art.
A set of eight views 33 x 46.5 cm executed in 1964-1965 is titled Chairman Mao's Octavo Volumes. It was sold for RMB 230M by Hanhai on November 17, 2011.
Chairman Mao's Octavo Volumes (also known as Mao Zhuxi Shiyi Ba Kai or Chairman Mao's Poetry Octavo Volumes) is an album of eight ink and color on paper paintings, each measuring 33 × 46.5 cm, created by Fu Baoshi (1904–1965) between 1964 and 1965.
Details of the Artwork
This set consists of landscape illustrations inspired by Mao Zedong's poems, blending traditional Chinese ink techniques with romantic, atmospheric depictions of mountains, rivers, rain, and revolutionary motifs (such as red flags or modern constructions like bridges). The eight leaves are titled as follows:
- Shaoshan Shiyi (Poetic Thoughts on Shaoshan – Mao's birthplace).
- Furong Guo Li Jin Chao Hui (from the poem "Reply to a Friend").
- Shen Nü Ying Wu Yang, Dang Jing Shijie Shu (from "The Goddess").
- Hu Ju Long Pan Jin Sheng Xi (Tiger Perching, Dragon Coiling – referring to Nanjing).
- Liao Kuo Jiang Tian Wan Li Shuang (from "Heavy Yang").
- Xiao Se Qiu Feng Jin You Shi, Huan Le Ren Jian (from "Beidaihe").
- Deng Lushan Shiyi (Poetic Thoughts on Climbing Mount Lu).
- Feng Zhan Hong Qi Ru Hua (Red Flags Unfurling Like a Painting).
The album was sold at Beijing Hanhai Auction on November 17, 2011, starting at RMB 100 million, hammering at RMB 200 million (plus buyer's premium), for a total of RMB 230 million (approximately US$36 million at the time). It set a record for Fu Baoshi's works in 2011 and remains one of his top auction prices.
Significance in Fu Baoshi's Career
This album represents the culmination of Fu Baoshi's late-period exploration of Mao Zedong's poetry as subject matter, a theme he pioneered starting in the early 1950s (creating nearly 200 such works over 15 years). As a native of Jiangxi (like Mao), Fu felt a personal connection and was deeply moved by poems like Qinyuan Chun · Xue, which inspired his shift toward politically aligned art while retaining his innovative style.In the context of post-1949 China, where artists were encouraged to serve socialist ideology, Fu's Mao poetry illustrations revolutionized traditional guohua (Chinese ink painting) by infusing it with modern revolutionary spirit—bold compositions, splash-ink techniques, and subtle political symbols—without sacrificing aesthetic individuality. He became the most prolific and influential artist in this genre, providing a model for depicting "new China" through landscapes.
Created during Fu's absolute peak (just before his death in September 1965), this set is considered his masterpiece and a "collector's summit" in 20th-century Chinese painting. It embodies his lifelong pursuit of merging poetry, emotion, and brushwork, while navigating the political demands of the era. The work's historical, artistic, and market value (long hailed as Fu's "first masterpiece" in landscapes) underscores its pivotal role in cementing his legacy as a bridge between tradition and modern Chinese art.
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The auction was held during the peak of forgeries and unpaid lots in the Chinese art market. Was that auction concluded ? What about its authentication ?
The November 17, 2011, Beijing Hanhai Autumn Auction sale of Fu Baoshi's Chairman Mao's Octavo Volumes (eight leaves, 1964–1965) was fully concluded. The album hammered at RMB 200 million (with a starting bid of RMB 100 million) and reached a total of RMB 230 million including buyer's premium, setting a then-record for the artist.
Context of the 2011 Chinese Art Market
While 2011 marked the peak of the Chinese art market boom—with widespread issues including forged works, inflated bidding, and a notable rate of unpaid lots (defaults by buyers, sometimes up to 50% in certain sectors)—no credible reports or subsequent revelations indicate that this specific lot went unpaid.
Authentication of the Artwork
Regarding authentication, the album is widely regarded as genuine and one of Fu Baoshi's late masterpieces.
The auction was held during the peak of forgeries and unpaid lots in the Chinese art market. Was that auction concluded ? What about its authentication ?
The November 17, 2011, Beijing Hanhai Autumn Auction sale of Fu Baoshi's Chairman Mao's Octavo Volumes (eight leaves, 1964–1965) was fully concluded. The album hammered at RMB 200 million (with a starting bid of RMB 100 million) and reached a total of RMB 230 million including buyer's premium, setting a then-record for the artist.
Context of the 2011 Chinese Art Market
While 2011 marked the peak of the Chinese art market boom—with widespread issues including forged works, inflated bidding, and a notable rate of unpaid lots (defaults by buyers, sometimes up to 50% in certain sectors)—no credible reports or subsequent revelations indicate that this specific lot went unpaid.
- Auction databases (e.g., Artprice, MutualArt), post-sale reports, and later references (up to 2024–2025) consistently list it as a realized sale of RMB 230 million.
- It held as Fu Baoshi's auction record until 2016, when another work (The God of Cloud and the Great Lord of Fate) sold for approximately US$35 million at Poly Auction.
Authentication of the Artwork
Regarding authentication, the album is widely regarded as genuine and one of Fu Baoshi's late masterpieces.
- It has clear provenance: previously sold in 2003 at Zhongmao Shengjia Auction for RMB 19.8 million.
- Extensive publication history and exhibition records support its authenticity.
- No documented disputes or forgery claims have surfaced in academic sources, museum contexts (e.g., references to Fu's Mao poetry illustrations in institutions like Nanjing Museum), or market analyses.
1965 Maoshan Majesty
2017 SOLD for RMB 187M by Poly
Fu Baoshi was not only the imaginative illustrator of old legends. Throughout his career, he also seeks the quintessence of the landscape, in all seasons, in all weather. He expresses snow, rain, mist, based on many sketches taken in the field.
In 1965, in a commission from the political committee of Jiangsu Province, he visits the site of Maoshan, southwest of Nanjing. This mountain is a high place of Taoism. Reforestation was initiated in 1960, in commemoration of the cantonment of Chen Yi's army during the Sino-Japanese War.
This 106 x 276 cm ink painting, completed in June 1965, includes tiny structures that attest to the civilization brought by Maoism : villages, factories and bridges in the plain, houses on the peaks. It was sold for RMB 187M by Poly on June 5, 2017, lot 2245. The image is shared by China Daily in their post sale report.
Fu Baoshi died three months later from a brain hemorrhage at the age of 61. His monumental panorama of Maoshan had been his last completed work.
Compare style and theme with Chairman Mao's Octavo Volumes.
Overview of the Two Works
Chairman Mao's Octavo Volumes (毛主席诗意八开册, 1964–1965): An album of eight small-scale leaves (each 33 × 46.5 cm), ink and color on paper, illustrating selected poems by Mao Zedong through romantic, atmospheric mountain landscapes. Sold for RMB 230 million at Beijing Hanhai in 2011.
Maoshan Majesty (茅山雄姿, English titles vary as Magnificent View of Maoshan Mountain or Majestic Maoshan, 1965): A single large-scale hanging scroll (106.5 × 276.5 cm, approx. 26.8 sq ft), ink and color on paper, depicting Maoshan Mountain near Nanjing. Created after on-site sketching in spring 1965; Fu Baoshi's final major landscape (completed June 1965, three months before his death). It is depicting a vast horizontal landscape with detailed modern elements amid towering peaks. Sold for RMB 186.875 million (hammer RMB 162.5 million + premium) at Beijing Poly Auction on June 5, 2017 (lot 2245).
Both are late-career masterpieces from Fu Baoshi's peak (1960s), embodying his revolutionary romanticism while innovating traditional guohua (Chinese ink painting).
Primary Theme
Mao Volumes : Direct illustration of Mao Zedong's classical-style poems (e.g., scenes of Shaoshan, Mount Lu, Beidaihe, red flags unfurling). Emphasizes poetic grandeur, revolutionary spirit, and visionary transformation of China.
Maoshan : Panoramic view of Maoshan Mountain (a New Fourth Army revolutionary base during the Anti-Japanese War). Celebrates natural majesty fused with socialist progress.
Political Element
Mao Volumes : Explicitly tied to Mao's poetry; symbolic motifs like red flags, bridges, and industrial hints represent "new China" amid misty, romantic landscapes.
Maoshan : Subtler "red classic" theme: historical revolutionary site integrated with modern elements (highways, factories, bridges, towns) amid lush mountains, evoking post-1949 development without overt symbols.
Overall Mood
Mao Volumes : Romantic, poetic, and inspirational—evoking Mao's lyrical vision of mountains/rivers as metaphors for revolution.
Maoshan : Heroic, majestic, and triumphant—revolutionary romanticism through monumental scale and vivid "new China" vitality.
Scale & Format
Mao Volumes : Intimate album format (eight separate leaves); encourages close, sequential viewing like reading poetry.
Maoshan : Monumental single scroll; overwhelming panoramic composition for grand display (originally hung in Jiangsu Provincial Committee hall).
Brushwork
Mao Volumes : Classic late-Fu: bold "Baoshi cun" (broken-ink splashes), chaotic yet controlled strokes, heavy mist/rain effects, dramatic ink washes for atmospheric depth.
Maoshan : More restrained and detailed: extensive use of ink dots, diffusion, layered cun (texture strokes); reduced long, swirling lines in favor of precise, realistic rendering integrated with bold ink.
Composition
Mao Volumes : Varied per leaf—dynamic, asymmetrical, often with swirling clouds/mist; focuses on evocative moods over literal topography.
Maoshan : Epic horizontal expanse: layered depths (near lush forests, mid-ground modern structures, far misty peaks); balanced yet grand, with fine details in architecture/vegetation.
Color & Tone
Mao Volumes : Subtle colors with ink dominance; romantic haze, occasional bright accents (e.g., red flags).
Maoshan : Vibrant yet harmonious—emerald greens, deep inks; lively "new China" energy through clear, detailed realism amid traditional grandeur.
Innovation
Mao Volumes : Pioneering Mao poetry as subject; merges personal expression with political service.
Maoshan : Culmination of lifelong techniques; called Fu's "peak landscape" by experts (e.g., Xiao Ping)—exhausts his arsenal of cunfa and penmanship for ultimate maturity.
Significance in Fu Baoshi's Career
Both reflect Fu's navigation of 1960s ideology: blending traditional shanshui with socialist realism, infusing landscapes with era-specific optimism.
In 1965, in a commission from the political committee of Jiangsu Province, he visits the site of Maoshan, southwest of Nanjing. This mountain is a high place of Taoism. Reforestation was initiated in 1960, in commemoration of the cantonment of Chen Yi's army during the Sino-Japanese War.
This 106 x 276 cm ink painting, completed in June 1965, includes tiny structures that attest to the civilization brought by Maoism : villages, factories and bridges in the plain, houses on the peaks. It was sold for RMB 187M by Poly on June 5, 2017, lot 2245. The image is shared by China Daily in their post sale report.
Fu Baoshi died three months later from a brain hemorrhage at the age of 61. His monumental panorama of Maoshan had been his last completed work.
Compare style and theme with Chairman Mao's Octavo Volumes.
Overview of the Two Works
Chairman Mao's Octavo Volumes (毛主席诗意八开册, 1964–1965): An album of eight small-scale leaves (each 33 × 46.5 cm), ink and color on paper, illustrating selected poems by Mao Zedong through romantic, atmospheric mountain landscapes. Sold for RMB 230 million at Beijing Hanhai in 2011.
Maoshan Majesty (茅山雄姿, English titles vary as Magnificent View of Maoshan Mountain or Majestic Maoshan, 1965): A single large-scale hanging scroll (106.5 × 276.5 cm, approx. 26.8 sq ft), ink and color on paper, depicting Maoshan Mountain near Nanjing. Created after on-site sketching in spring 1965; Fu Baoshi's final major landscape (completed June 1965, three months before his death). It is depicting a vast horizontal landscape with detailed modern elements amid towering peaks. Sold for RMB 186.875 million (hammer RMB 162.5 million + premium) at Beijing Poly Auction on June 5, 2017 (lot 2245).
Both are late-career masterpieces from Fu Baoshi's peak (1960s), embodying his revolutionary romanticism while innovating traditional guohua (Chinese ink painting).
Primary Theme
Mao Volumes : Direct illustration of Mao Zedong's classical-style poems (e.g., scenes of Shaoshan, Mount Lu, Beidaihe, red flags unfurling). Emphasizes poetic grandeur, revolutionary spirit, and visionary transformation of China.
Maoshan : Panoramic view of Maoshan Mountain (a New Fourth Army revolutionary base during the Anti-Japanese War). Celebrates natural majesty fused with socialist progress.
Political Element
Mao Volumes : Explicitly tied to Mao's poetry; symbolic motifs like red flags, bridges, and industrial hints represent "new China" amid misty, romantic landscapes.
Maoshan : Subtler "red classic" theme: historical revolutionary site integrated with modern elements (highways, factories, bridges, towns) amid lush mountains, evoking post-1949 development without overt symbols.
Overall Mood
Mao Volumes : Romantic, poetic, and inspirational—evoking Mao's lyrical vision of mountains/rivers as metaphors for revolution.
Maoshan : Heroic, majestic, and triumphant—revolutionary romanticism through monumental scale and vivid "new China" vitality.
Scale & Format
Mao Volumes : Intimate album format (eight separate leaves); encourages close, sequential viewing like reading poetry.
Maoshan : Monumental single scroll; overwhelming panoramic composition for grand display (originally hung in Jiangsu Provincial Committee hall).
Brushwork
Mao Volumes : Classic late-Fu: bold "Baoshi cun" (broken-ink splashes), chaotic yet controlled strokes, heavy mist/rain effects, dramatic ink washes for atmospheric depth.
Maoshan : More restrained and detailed: extensive use of ink dots, diffusion, layered cun (texture strokes); reduced long, swirling lines in favor of precise, realistic rendering integrated with bold ink.
Composition
Mao Volumes : Varied per leaf—dynamic, asymmetrical, often with swirling clouds/mist; focuses on evocative moods over literal topography.
Maoshan : Epic horizontal expanse: layered depths (near lush forests, mid-ground modern structures, far misty peaks); balanced yet grand, with fine details in architecture/vegetation.
Color & Tone
Mao Volumes : Subtle colors with ink dominance; romantic haze, occasional bright accents (e.g., red flags).
Maoshan : Vibrant yet harmonious—emerald greens, deep inks; lively "new China" energy through clear, detailed realism amid traditional grandeur.
Innovation
Mao Volumes : Pioneering Mao poetry as subject; merges personal expression with political service.
Maoshan : Culmination of lifelong techniques; called Fu's "peak landscape" by experts (e.g., Xiao Ping)—exhausts his arsenal of cunfa and penmanship for ultimate maturity.
Significance in Fu Baoshi's Career
- Octavo Volumes: Represents the apex of Fu's prolific Mao poetry illustrations (nearly 200 works over 15 years). A personal, portable "summit" of poetic-landscape fusion.
- Maoshan Majesty: His literal final grand statement—largest circulating late masterpiece, embodying full technical mastery just before death. Often hailed as the pinnacle of his monumental revolutionary landscapes.
Both reflect Fu's navigation of 1960s ideology: blending traditional shanshui with socialist realism, infusing landscapes with era-specific optimism.
