27 Wang Zhen (1867-1938)
Fate
1922
pair of hanging scrolls, ink and color on paper
each 120 x 61 cm
Duoyunxuan, Shanghai
A pair of folk characters are the ostensible subjects of this diptych, but
the prominent inscriptions take the form of a dialogue between the artist,
who was a Buddhist, and Wu Changshi, who was not. They admonish the viewers
and each other about the impossibility of calculating one's destiny. The
blind fortune-teller and an abacus-waving merchant serve as emblems for
the debate.
Wang Zhen studied painting with Ren Yi, but after Ren's death became Wu
Changshi's closest disciple. A native of Wuxing, Zhejiang, Wang Zhen undertook
foreign language study that led in 1900 to a position as a compradore for
a Japanese company. He went on to become quite wealthy in business, even
serving at one time as chairman of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce. Extremely
active in philanthropy, he briefly headed the Chinese Buddhist Association.
He was also a key figure in many artists associations, including the Yu
Garden Painting and Calligraphy Charitable Association, which devoted half
its painting sales to charity. He maintained close ties to Japan throughout
his career.