The stature of European impressionist masters in China will be on full display at an upcoming fine-art event. Deng Zhangyu steps back to get a clear picture of its popularity in the country.

The First Beijing International Fine Art Fair, which will run from Oct 9 to 12, unveiled its highlights for Chinese buyers on Sept 15, featuring dozens of artworks by leading Western artists like French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro and Spanish cubist Pablo Picasso.

There will be more than 10 pieces by Renoir for sale or on display at the event. It's the first time so many of his works have come to China.

It's also "a test of the demand for Renoir in China's art market", says Qin Yan, a representative of Renoir Fine Art Inc, which is run by Jean-Emmanuel Renoir from the Renoir family.

"The works we introduce to China are not the best. Based on the market's response this time, we will decide whether to bring more and better ones in the future."

Qin explains Chinese buyers' frequent overseas purchases of high-priced Western artworks in recent years has attracted the attention of Western artists' families, such as the Renoirs and Picassos. They're very interested in entering the Chinese market, Qin says, adding Chinese buyers are particularly inclined to buy impressionists' pieces.

The France-based art market data firm Artprice says Chinese remained the top buyers for the fourth year running in 2013, accounting for $4.08 billion - about one-third - of global sales.

A Chinese buyer paid more than $27 million for Monet's 1907 Water Lilies at Christie's in May. Last year, the country's second-richest businessman, Wang Jianlin, bought Picasso's Claude et Paloma at Christie's for $28.2 million.

Wang has collected dozens of Western artworks. Most are by impressionists, including Renoir, Monet, Pissarro, Cezanne and post-impressionist Gauguin, says Guo Qingxiang, leader of the art collection team of Wang's Dalian Wanda Group.

But it's not only China's superrich who are obsessed with Western art's big names.

More than 270,000 people visited Shanghai's K11 Art Mall's Monet exhibition from March to mid-May.

Long lines formed despite two-hour waits and 100 yuan ($17) tickets.

About 100,000 viewers visited a show of 10 Western masterpieces, including Renoir's Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette, at the National Museum of China from April to June. The massive interest prompted the museum to extend its hours to 8 pm on selected days.

Central Academy of Fine Arts professor Zhao Li explains Chinese schools teach basic backgrounders about Western artists, including legends like Van Gogh, Monet and Picasso. The exhibitions offer opportunities to view these masters' works.

Chinese artists historically studied in France and, consequently, were deeply influenced by impressionism. Wu Guanzhong (1919-2010), who was among China's first artists to study in France, said his homeland has been influenced by impressionism for about a century.

This, experts say, explains the prominence of impressionists and Barbizon School painters at October's Fine Art Fair in Beijing.

And the organizer says it plans to bring more such art to China in the coming years.

Contact the writer at dengzhangyu@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/30/2014 page19)