New Songs on Ancient Tunes: 19th-20th Century Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy from the Richard Fabian Collection

Published to accompany an exhibition at the Honolulu Academy of Arts in 2007, this significant volume presents lengthy entries and artist's biographies by renowned scholars and superb color reproductions of 137 works from the Richard Fabian Collection. Five initial essays discuss Fabian's collection, by Stephen Little (director of the HAA); China during the period from 1850-1950, by Jonathan Spence (history, Yale U.); and modern Chinese painting and calligraphy. The catalog is impressive in the quality and scope of its visual and written treatment of the artists, as well as in its weight and size (9.5x12"). Distributed by the U. of Washington Press. Annotation 穢2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)