Seventy-five traditional paintings and works of calligraphy by 10 renowned modern Chinese artists will go under the hammer in early July.

The artworks on sale between July 2 to 3 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, include masterpieces by Wu Changshuo, Qi Baishi, Xu Beihong, Pan Tianshou and Zhang Daqian, known as the "most reputed masters of Chinese traditional painting," and whose works are sought after by collectors at home and abroad.

The auction will display a wide array of paintings and calligraphy that have rarely been seen in public before, and their market value is estimated to reach over 50 million yuan (US$6 million), said Lu Jingqing, general manager of the Hangzhou-based Xiling Seal-Engraving Society Auction Co Ltd, the auction organizer.

Among the works on sale by Wu Changshuo (1844-1927), a master of freehand brushwork as well as a landscape and portrait painter, his painting of chrysanthemum and stone, which in China symbolizes longevity, has drawn particular attention.

Pond in Spring, one of the two most remarkable paintings depicting cattle by Pan Tianshou (1897-1971), is expected to set a record price based on the painter's Eagle, Rock and Flora which sold for nearly 11.72 million yuan (US$ 1.41 million) at the China Guardian Auction's 2005 Spring sale.

Pan was well known for his flower-and-bird and landscapes in freehand brushwork and was a skilled finger painter. His famous masterpiece A Corner Beneath Little Dragon Cascade, was exhibited in the United States in May, 1984.

Qi Baishi (1864-1957) known for his vivid paintings of shrimps, flowers, birds, insects and figures, had a characteristically simple and vigorous style. He combined Chinese ink-and-color in a bold way that formed contrasts and harmonies of rich black and bright colors.

Xu Beihong (1895-1953) is most famous for his galloping horses and other traditional subjects of Chinese watercolor and oil painting, and pencil drawings.

Founded in December 2004, the Xiling auction firm is a subsidiary of the century-old Xiling Seal-Engraving Society, a famous Hangzhou-based academic group which specializes in seal-engraving, a traditional Chinese art.

Wu Changshuo served as the first president of the Xiling society, the site of which has been placed under State protection for its historic and cultural value.

Chinese calligraphy, which dates back some 2,500 years with its origin in hieroglyphics, has evolved various styles and schools over the passage of time.

Enjoying equal importance in the history of Chinese art, painting and calligraphy constitute an important part of the country's heritage and culture, and interest in both has been growing among people both at home and abroad.

Various training courses and competitions for youngsters and people from all walks of life, and exhibitions of ancient and contemporary paintings and works of calligraphy, have been held across the country, helping to carry forward the development of traditional Chinese culture.

(China Daily June 30, 2005)