| Our curatorial conceptions rarely diverge from the theme of regional artists, past and present. However, when presented with this provocative and stunning group of works, we were compelled to make exception. Assembled by a local collector during his business travels to Asia, these New Year calendar posters and variety of advertisements (circa 1910 to 1930) represent a unique era of Chinese history, namely the birth of a capitalist commodity market. Serving as advertisements was their primary function but the revered, respected Chinese artists who created them using new forms of inventive lithography, ensured that commodity never vied with their beautiful subjects in elaborate settings. |  |
