Lot 10

East and West Art Gallery, Melbourne, acquired directly from the artist.

Bei Jiaxiang was born in Shanghai in 1953 and traces his roots to Suzhou, where he once lived with renowned architect I. M. Pei. In 1982, he joined the first oil painting training class at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, where he honed his skills in modeling, color, and brushwork. His work matured quickly, earning him major awards in the 1980s, including the Third Prize at the National Art Exhibition and First Prize at the Shanghai Literature and Art Exhibition.

After immigrating to Australia over two decades ago, Bei became one of the most respected Chinese artists in the region, receiving honors such as the Gold Medal in Oil Painting at the Robert Art Exhibition. In 2021, his painting Flowers Fragrance sold for 2.07 million RMB at Poly International Auction Co.

Bei is known for blending the spirit of Chinese literati painting with contemporary Western oil techniques. His signature series-such as Galloping Horse, Old Shanghai, Opera Characters, and Ladies-serve as both a tribute to his cultural heritage and a return to the core principles of oil painting.