“Fascinating the West: Chinese Pith Painting in the Export Market” Sharing and Demonstration
Date : 2023.03.18 (Saturday)
Time: 3:00 – 4:30 pm
Speaker: Ms Hattie Lam (Assistant Curator I (China Trade Art))
Guest Conservator: Dr. Simon Kwan (renowned collector)
Format: Live streaming
Language: Cantonese
Streaming Link: click here
No reservations are required. Please click the streaming link for the live streaming session.
About the Programme:
Before the advent of photography, trade paintings depicting Chinese subjects were some of the most beloved souvenirs among foreigners in Canton in the 18th and 19th centuries, due to their documentary and commemorative nature. Some trade painters created brilliantly coloured paintings on small pieces of pith paper, which was widely used in the South, with painting techniques blending Chinese and Western influences. In this programme, the curator of the exhibition “Shopping in Canton: China Trade Art in the 18th and 19th Centuries” will be introducing the trade paintings and pith paintings featured in the exhibition. We have also invited renowned collector Dr. Simon Kwan to reveal century-old pith paintings and demonstrate mysterious techniques for their restoration to the audience.
About the Guest Conservator:
Dr. Simon Kwan is a renowned practicing architect, connoisseur, collector and a dedicated researcher and scholar in the field of Chinese antiquities. Dr. Kwan has written many papers and delivered many lectures on Chinese arts at universities and institutions in Hong Kong and abroad. He is also the Museum Expert Adviser of the Hong Kong Museum of Art.