Strokes of genius

Norham Castle, Sunrise circa 1845, a Turner masterpiece.

It was during a trip to London that Fan Di'an was asked the dream question. "What exhibition would you like to stage in China more than any other?"

The question was put to the dean of the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) by Martin Davidson, CEO of the British Council.

"Turner!" replied Fan without a moment's hesitation. To his delight, the deal was struck.

The long lines that formed for last weekend's opening were testament to the wisdom of his choice, as were the crowds that stuck closely to our gallery guide, hanging on her every word. Such is the enduring appeal of Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851), one of Britain's best-known painters.

Fan is clearly delighted. "This exhibition offers a rare chance to look closely at an innovative artist who has exerted a great influence on Chinese oil and watercolor art since the early 20th century," he says.

Turner's name first came to China at a time when China was caught in the midst of social upheavals, partly because of encounters with Western powers. Under the banner of Revolution in the Fine Arts, Chinese artists then advocated a radical reform of traditional Chinese painting through the so-called Western Learning.

The introduction of European painting was thus regarded as a "new knowledge" crucial for the healthy growth of new Chinese art, according to Fan.

It was during this period that Chinese artists came to see Turner's importance in European art history and his significant contribution to the British school of painting.

In the 1920s, pioneering artists Xu Beihong (1895-1953) and Liu Haisu (1896-1994), both with a Western education background, called Turner "the representative of Naturalism"; in 1931, renowned art historian Feng Zikai (1898-1975) brought in Turner's works under the category of English Naturalism in The Art History of the West.

In the opinion of Chinese artists at that time, both French Realism and English Naturalism could help facilitate a revolution in the arts in China.

What impressed Chinese critics most was that Turner blurred the boundaries of the strict classifications, "imbuing his landscapes with closely observed atmospheric effects that created their own sense of historic drama", according to Fan.

Besides his oil art, Turner's watercolors also had a deep impact on Chinese artists.

In the 1930s, many Chinese artists, such as Li Jianchen and Pan Sitong, began to explore this art genre, drawing inspiration from Turner's works.