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It is widely known that in 1870 Monet went to Holland to avoid the Franco-Prusstan War. It was there that he was exposed to East Astan art works which subsequently influenced his painting style, Additionally, the early Impresstonists are also referred to as the plein-air artistswhose practice was to carry one's easel outdoors and paint directly under the light of the sun.
One can say that the concepto of this group of artists and that of the carefree, reclusive Chinese painter are similar in their attitude of obtaining Inspiration from nature. In Monet's Water Lilies series, the color and brush strokes of the paintings are light, animated, and graceful. The poetic emotion and the mood of Monet's paintings are often seen in Chinese painting.
During the period in which Monet was in Holland, Chinese painters gathered in painting centers in Peking and the Shanghai and Kwangchow region, The latter region was also the area in which exposure to the West occurred most frequently, as well as the area which led in the establishment of new traditions, One of the pieces we are exhibiting from the Museum's collection is Hsu-ku's Chrysanthemums, The liveliness of the yellow chrysanthemum leaves reminds one of the scenery in a flower garden under an autumn sun, Also exhibited is Wu Ch'ang-shih's Wisteria, with an antique radiance and resplendency in his application of yellow and green col-
ors, The effect of his color is also similar to Impressionists' dauzling color under sunlight. The village life favor filling Jen Po-nien's paintings is also similar to the realistic daily-life subject matter in some Impressionist works, The cousins Cht Lien and Cht Ch'ao, forerunners of the "Ling-nan" school, paved the way for Kao Chien-fu, his brother and his followers and their painting styles, Kao adapted the technique of chiaroscuro in his works and consequently can be compared to Western painting in his employment of a similar technique.
Despite differences in culture and background, common ideals and attitudes of East Asian
and Western painters engendered similarities, We are determined to break through all limitations and unite Chinese and Western painting as one for all to enjoy together. Since there is no precedent in which art objects have travelled to China from Europe, especially to the Na-
tional Palace Museum, this exhibition should be an enjoyable arrangement and breakthrough.
This exhibition opens to the public in February 1998. The timing coincides with the Lunar New Year. From the old, we are giving birth to the new. Although the timing is simply coincidental, it correlates with my original intent of "Creating from Tradition." The National Palace Museim and the Dimension Endowment of Art are both happy to present the exhibitions and are publishing special catalogues to propagate this art to the public.
Dr. Chin Hsiao-yi
Director
National Palace Museum
January 15, 1993