During my trip to Europe, I did to the best of my ability to further promote Chinese art, as urged by people from many quarters. In recent years Europeans have shown an increasing understanding of Chinese art. They are no longer content with empty bragging about trivia. Instead, they are planning projects of sweeping magnitude, which will not only demonstrate the greatness of Chinese art, but also set a new record for international exchange. When I arrived in Europe, I designed a two-step plan for my mission: first, to collect modern Chinese paintings to be exhibited in Europe; second, to execute exhibition exchange agreements with European nations as long-term commitments. It is fitting that I concentrate on modern works of art. The merits of earlier Chinese art have been familiar to people outside China for some time. With regard to Oriental art, China is considered a great powerhouse. This conclusion was reached long ago. Since China has found itself in troubled waters, however, the Japanese government has seized the opportunity to allocate huge quantities of money to a desperate attempt to promote Japan’s modern art in the past few years. They have posed as the only nation to have attained the highest standing in the Orient. In Europe the general public also thinks of China as belonging to the past. As for modern art, they are familiar only with Japan, not China. Witnessing this situation motivated me to formulate the aforementioned plan, after struggling for some means to remedy the situation. During my stay in Paris, I met with about a dozen master artists such as Albert Besnard, Armand Jean, Van Dongen, Morris Deni and Landeski, as well as a few art administrators such as Paul Leon and A. Dezarrois. During our discussions about art, I proposed that a modern Chinese painting exhibition be first held in France. My proposal was supported unanimously. I immediately started collecting works from China in preparation for the proposed event. An agreement was entered with A. Dezarrois, director of the French National Museum, stating that the exhibition would take place in Paris in the winter of 1933.
In 1930, I went to Italy to do research, and visited Belgium in the autumn to review the international exhibits for the World’s Fair. At meetings with Italian and Belgian authorities and well-versed scholars from the art community, my proposal for Chinese exhibitions of modern painting was again discussed, and received support and assistance in both countries. In 1931, I was invited to lecture at the University of Frankfurt’s Institute of Chinese Studies in Germany, where I lectured on theories of Chinese painting. My proposal was presented and discussed once again, resulting in an exhibition of modern Chinese painting held at the Frankfurt City Art Gallery. The exhibition moved to Heidelberg in June. The impact of the exhibition was so enormous that it surpassed our expectations. In the early spring of 1931, the Japanese held a large exhibition in Berlin, where most of the exhibited works were produced mainly to cater to the European sensibility. These Japanese works convinced the European audience that Oriental art sought to westernize some of its superficial elements without expressing any of its own character – until they saw the modern Chinese painting exhibition, which elicited both surprise and admiration. Indeed there was no comparison between the plain, natural and unembellished Chinese style and the insincere efforts of the Japanese. Encouraged by enthusiastic articles in German newspapers, our embassy felt the need to host a modern Chinese painting exhibition in Berlin. The embassy urged me by telephone to visit Berlin, where official meetings were held with such organizations as the Prussian Institute of Art and the Oriental Art Association. I discussed the details several times with Professors Kümmel and Hughley(?), Orientalists from Berlin University, Professor Amcrsdorffer, deputy director of the Prussian Art Institute, and Professor Boerschmann from the Technical University of Berlin. Officially finalized by our embassy and the Oriental Art Association, the exhibition was scheduled for February 1934 at the Prussian Institute of Art. Ten German members were chosen to serve on the exhibition committee:
One representative from the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Dr. Solf, president of the Oriental Art Association, and former German ambassador to Japan,
Dr. Eng. V. Klemperer, vice president of the Oriental Art Association,
Otto Kümmel, secretary general of the Oriental Art Association, director of the Oriental Museum, and professor of Berlin University,
William Cohn, deputy secretary general of the Oriental Art Association, and director of the National Museum,
Boerschmann, professor of the Technical University of Berlin, and architect adviser to the government,
Dr. Glaser, director of the National Art Library, and professor of Berlin University,
Dr. Ginsberz, accounting officer of the Oriental Art Association,
Dr. Von der Heyde, accounting officer of the Oriental Art Association,
Dr. Amcrsdorffer, secretary general of the Prussian Institute of Art, and professor of Berlin University.
On the Chinese side, Minister and Deputy Minister of Education, President of Academia Sinica, Envoy to Germany, and myself were first chosen to engage in preparations for the exhibition. The other six members will be selected subsequently.
The whole process has undergone quite a few twists and turns. Now the concept is realized, and the road is partially complete. I decided to return home to China to plead with the government and appeal to the people, in the hope that our collective efforts will ensure the exhibition’s success. Let us not allow the Japanese overstep their position by attempting to be the leader of Oriental art. That is what I have prayed for day and night.