Woman behind the artist
Updated: 2015-06-18 08:15
By Lin Qi(China Daily)
|
|||||||||
The two fell in love despite the age gap-Liao was 28 years younger than the artist. After getting married in 1946, they moved to Beijing, where Xu headed the Beiping Art School, later renamed the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 1950.
They had a son and a daughter. But the family's happiness came to a sudden end when Xu died from brain hemorrhage at 58.
Shortly afterward, Liao made a generous donation to the Ministry of Culture, including some 1,200 works of Xu and more than 1,000 Chinese paintings in his collection, among other books, calligraphy pieces and important art documents.
She also donated a spacious courtyard house in Beijing, which Xu had bought for her. It was later converted to the Xu Beihong Memorial Museum, where the donations are displayed.
"For me, Beihong was the most important person. He was gone, so why would I still keep such things?"
Liao directed the public museum until her death. In 2005, she sold at an auction the only two works of Xu in her own possession to save the public institution from financial strain.
"I wanted to have the two works accompany me to my tomb. But after many sleepless and tearful nights, I decided to transfer them to people who will love them as much as I did," she told China Daily in 2005.
Liao also opened a studio at the museum offering painting courses.
She was occupied with much appraisal work: Xu's paintings are sought after in the market and fetch high prices at auctions. There were, therefore, many fakes.
"I wish that after I die, I could reunite with Beihong. I will rest my head on his chest and tell him what I've gone through all these years and the pain I suffered from missing him," Liao once said.
- Warriors beat Cavaliers to clinch NBA title
- Saving dogs from dog meat carnival
- Ten photos you don't wanna miss - June 17
- Race-goers get ahead with hats
- Top 10 most valuable auto brands in the world
- Ten photos you don't wanna miss - June 16
- Shaolin monks harvest bumper crop
- Cambridge students mark end of exam with boat race
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Premier Li embarks on Latin America visit |
What do we know about AIIB |
Full coverage of Boao Forum for Asia |
Annual legislative and political advisory sessions |
Spring Festival trends reflect a changing China |
Patent applications lead the world |
Today's Top News
China's economic strategy focus of panel
UN strategy for long term
topic of debate
Donald Trump announces bid for
US presidency
Vote to begin on Hong Kong's election reform
US is duty-bound to help Iraq wipe out the IS: Opinion
China, US spearhead MERS fight
Key China-US talks
next week
Jeb Bush announces bid for 2016 Republican presidential run
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |