Classic works by Chinese painting masters, including Wu Guanzhong, Lin Fengmian and Wu Changshuo, will go under the hammer at the Rongbao Auction House's 2005 Spring sale this Sunday.

A pre-auction viewing running until May 14 at the Beijing Asia Jinjiang Hotel, features over 600 paintings and calligraphy works.

Of special interest are two of Wu Guanzhong's latest works -- The Loess Plateau and The Laoshan Mountain in Shandong Province.

Wu has gained a worldwide reputation for combining Western painting with Chinese contemporary ink-and-color works.

Wu adopted thick, yet rhythmic lines to portray a passionate image of the marvelous loess plateau which stretches across the country's northwest.

Another eye-grabbing item is a collection of caricatures by Ye Qianyu (1907-1995).

An art educator, Ye has long been noted for his humor in capturing life and his talent for caricature. He was also skilled in sketching and Chinese traditional painting, forms which revealed his considerable artistic talent.

Those in the sale were painted in 1943 after Ye sought refuge in Guilin in today's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Inspiration for the works came from his experiences as he escaped from Hong Kong to Guilin.

They capture people's suffering, from different perspectives, after the Japanese swept into Hong Kong during World War II.

Enthusiasts of Huang Binhong (1865-1955) will also have the opportunity to acquire some of his works. Several of his great paintings are featured in the auction, as art circles commemorate the 140th anniversary of his birth this year.

Over 108 oil paintings by Jin Shangyi, Chen Danqing and other artists, will also be on sale.

(China Daily May 12, 2005)