For connoisseurs of Chinese art, Wen Zhengming is a name that needs no introduction. Recognized as one of the most prestigious Chinese painters, calligraphers and even poets of the Ming Dynasty, he is one of the so-called Four Masters of the Ming Dynasty, along with Shen Zhou, Tang Yin and Qui Ying.
And Eugénio Novikoff Sales, a painter from Macau known for his own unique works focusing on Lusophony, has what he believes to be a true Chinese national treasure: 12 paintings by this great master painter.
“The painter is well known in the Ming Dynasty, considered as one of the four greatest painters of this dynasty. He is a national treasure. The works that I have are painted with gold, are very rare and are in very good condition,” Eugénio explains.
Eugénio, who is also an art collector, made the exciting discovery after returning from Indonesia recently. After completing quarantine, he took the opportunity to “kill time” by doing some of the things he likes doing most, including visiting the local ‘tintins’, an expression used to describe the street markets near Alegria Cinema where people can buy antiques and, sometimes, find some real treasures.
“I bought a lot of various things, and at first I didn’t even know what they were. Only later did I take some photos and show them to a Chinese person to find out what they were, and he told me ‘You’ll be a millionaire! They’re by the painter Wen Zhengming’. I did some research and found out that he was a very famous painter, and that the paintings are very valuable. I was lucky, after all, the pandemic also brought me something good!"
However, works of great value in the art world can sometimes bring collectors headaches due to the existence of forgeries, especially with pieces by the most famous painters. Although he does not consider himself to be an expert in such matters, Eugénio has no doubt that the paintings are authentic.
“I’ve had one or two people look at the works and they said that this golden colour is difficult to forge, and the red stamp shows that it’s not fake. Works on porcelain or on white rice paper are more easy to falsify, but in this case, across all 12 works, everything is the same colour tone, there are no differences between them”, he explains. “I never imagined these paintings could be from such a famous artist. In ancient Macau, who could have had items like this? Only a very rich family!” says the painter.
Aware of the “treasure” that he now has in his hands, the Macanese painter believes that, due to their importance and historical relevance, the Chinese authorities may show interest in these works, although he feels very honoured to have them in his collection.
“I’m not thinking of selling, but maybe if someone is interested, like the government of China, because this is a national treasure. But for now they are very good with me, I am enjoying this collection of paintings,” he stresses.
The paintings feature landscapes of Chinese hills and valleys, with small details that capture even more attention with their golden hues.
“It is paper painted in gold, and then he uses a brush very meticulously, making the lines, accompanied with a poem and the stamp,” explains Eugénio.
According to the Macanese painter, the 12 works represent a full collection, further enhancing the value of the works.
“It is a collection of 12, so you could make an exhibition with just them, and many other things can be done, such as postcards, books, among others. This is a national treasure, that’s for sure. They are unpublished paintings and I think they have been very well preserved”.
WEN ZHENGMING,
PAINTER, POET AND CALLIGRAPHER
Wen Zhengming was born in Changzhou (now Suzhou, Jiangsu province). He began reading poetry and literary classics at an early age and developed a deep interest in calligraphy and painting. The subjects of his paintings range from landscapes, bamboo and orchids to figures, birds and flowers, with an emphasis on landscape paintings. His brushwork displays two distinct styles: a rough and unbridled approach in delineating spaces and trees, rocks and bamboos; and a refined and less extravagant approach in depicting delicate details and forms. The latter became a characteristic of Wu School painting. Considered a master of the Wu School, Wen Zhengming was grouped with Shen Zhou, Tang Yin, and Qiu Ying as the Four Masters of the Ming Dynasty. Wen Zhengming often chose painting subjects of great simplicity, such as a single tree or rock. Experts describe his work as showing a sense of strength through isolation. Many of his works also celebrate the contexts of the elite social life for which they were created. He collaborated in the design of the Humble Administrator’s Garden, one of the four largest and most important gardens in China, located in Suzhou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.