In the spring of 1937, as the flamboyant kapok flowers adorned the streets of Hong Kong, Professor Hui Tat-Seng, Director of the Chinese Department at the University of Hong Kong, carefully navigated the fallen blossoms, hurrying back home.
As soon as Professor Hui entered his courtyard, he called out: “Beihong!” It turned out that the renowned artist Xu Beihong was being hosted at his home in advance of an exhibition of his works.
Professor Hui called again: “Beihong, Mrs. Martin has arrived.”
Mrs. Martin, a woman of German heritage, had inherited a remarkable collection of ancient Chinese paintings and calligraphy pieces from her late father. Recognizing the potential value in the art, she sought to have them professionally evaluated with the intention of selling them. To achieve this, she reached out to Professor Hui.
Professor Hui firmly believed that no one was more suited for this task than the celebrated painter Xu Beihong. Xu, honored by the request, readily accepted the challenge. Therefore, Mrs. Martin carefully transported the entire collection to Hong Kong, eager for Xu’s evaluation and insight.
As the first two boxes were opened, Xu smiled and nodded as he examined the items. The third box contained many paintings and calligraphy works that were unsigned. Xu picked up an ancient scroll, and as soon as he saw it, his smile faded. In an instant, the light of life arose in his eyes, and he gently unfolded the scroll with such tenderness it was as if he was afraid of disturbing the characters in the painting. He looked up with a determined expression and said: “I want this one. I only want this one.”
Xu Beihong only wanted the ‘Scroll of Eighty-Seven Immortals’
Mrs. Martin looked at him in surprise and said: “But there are still many more. Why don’t you take a look?” Mr. Xu wagged his finger and said: “No, I only want this one. There’s no need to look at the rest.” He then took out 10,000 yuan in cash from his pocket. At that time, 10,000 yuan in cash could buy a good villa in Beijing. He also selected seven exquisite pieces from the works he had planned for his exhibition and offered them to Mrs. Martin in exchange for the scroll.
At the time, Xu’s paintings were in high demand in the art market, and Mrs. Martin would have no problem quickly selling them for cash. After the Hong Kong Art Valuation Committee appraised the artwork of Xu, Mrs. Martin happily accepted the deal.
So why was Xu so taken with the scroll? It turned out that he immediately recognized it as a masterpiece by a renowned Tang Dynasty artist. It depicted 87 immortals on deep brown silk, all drawn with a line sketching technique, without a signature. He named it the “Scroll of Eighty-Seven Immortals” and carefully carved a seal with the words “Beihong’s Life,” affixing it to the lower part of the scroll. From then on, he and the painting were inseparable.
Xu Beihong returned to Nanjing, coinciding with Zhang Daqian’s arrival from Beijing to prepare for the National Art Exhibition. At that time, renowned artists like Huang Junbi and Xie Zhiliu were also in Nanjing. They gathered together, toasting and feasting in merry camaraderie.
Seizing a cheerful moment, Xu Beihong said: “I’ve recently come across a remarkable painting. I dare to invite you esteemed fellows to grace my home and identify the origin of this artwork.”
Having enjoyed some wine and being in an appreciative mood, Zhang Daqian and the others readily agreed. Upon arriving at Xu Beihong’s residence and viewing the scroll, they were amazed and exclaimed in admiration. Zhang even said: “Oh my! This painting is so vivid and lifelike. Notice this figure? His white beard seems to flutter like a real immortal. This painting was probably done by the sage Wu Daozi.” The others also agreed. Such recognition from fellow masters was a joyous event in life! Xu Beihong’s love for the painting grew even more profound, as if it was a matter of life and death to him.
Later, while Xu Beihong was away on a trip to Kunming for an exhibition to aid the war effort against Japan, his residence was burgled during an air raid. He rushed back home to check on the Scroll of Eighty-Seven Immortals only to find it gone. Devastated, Xu collapsed in shock and became gravely ill.
Understanding the story behind this painting can help us understand Xu Beihong himself. And conversely, understanding Xu Beihong can help us understand this painting. With the painting having been lost, the next part of our story will focus on Xu Beihong’s life and art.
See Part 2 here.
Translated by Joseph Wu
