The Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City opened an exhibition featuring over 200 art works by late Chinese painter Qi Baishi on July 17 th. The exhibition in the main tower gallery will be open until August 12nd, while the section in the western wing tower will remain open to visitors until October 8th.
Themed on "Prosperity in Tranquility: The Art of Qi Baishi", the exhibition is divided into four sections. It displays paintings and seals, revealing the artist's philosophy of life and his tireless pursuit of art. Born in 1864, Qi Baishi died in 1957. He is noted for his watercolors featuring a huge variety of subjects. In his later years, the pursuit of a peaceful life became the main theme of his works.
Due to his outstanding accomplishments, Qi Baishi was honored with the title "people's artist" by the Chinese Ministry of Culture in 1953 and was awarded the International Peace Prize by the World Peace Council in 1956. What is unique about Qi Baishi is that his work shows no western influences, unlike most other artists at this time. He was highly recognized for his thoughtful and lyrical approach in depicting the nature subject.