Investigation fails to solve missing art works
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Although local authorities declared at a press conference in Xianyang, Shaanxi province, that they have recovered the majority of the missing calligraphy works by late master calligrapher Yu You-jen, the donor of the works has cast doubts on the results of the investigation.
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Zhuo Deng donated Yu You-jen's works to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference(CPPCC) Xianyang committee in 1986. |
Altogether 112 calligraphy works by Yu You-jen were found, local officials declared at a 10-minute press conference on Saturday, adding that six to nine pieces were still missing,
Zhuo Deng, 62, a Xianyang resident who donated the works in 1986, said the investigating team should have recovered 130 pieces of calligraphy and one brush pot.
"The works were handed down to me from my father, Zhuo Jingting, who worked for Yu for years and became Yu's chief bodyguard in the late 1940s," Zhuo said.
In order to better protect the works, Zhou decided to donate Yu's works to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Xianyang committee in 1986, Zhou said.
"Over the past 10 years, I have asked many times to see my donation, but I was refused each time. Recently I discovered that my donation of Yu's works had been lost," he said.
The media picked up the story in June and urged the local government of Xianyang city to form a group, including CPPCC officials and local police, to investigate the case.
"The investigation showed that after an exhibition of Yu's work in 1992, 78 pieces were kept in Sanyuan County Museum, 24 pieces were kept by working staff engaged in the exhibition and 10 pieces were taken back by the works' donator, Zhuo Deng, as 112 pieces were found in total," said Tian Xiaodong, secretary-general of CPPCC Xianyang committee.
But according to documents held at the city's archives bureau, Zhuo donated 122 pieces of Yu You-jen's calligraphy works to the CPPCC Xianyang committee in June 1986.
"The investigation located '112 plus six to nine missing pieces', not 122, why?" the question was asked by a reporter of a local media at the press conference.
No answer was forthcoming and Zhuo Deng, who was present at the press conference, was forced to leave.
"Zhuo came and wanted to know the investigation result, I do not understand why he was forced to leave," said Qin Tao, Zhuo's lawyer.
The officials in the press conference were also asked if the 112 pieces of Yu's works were authentic with identification and if some works had been taken by local officials. Once again, no answers were forthcoming.
Yu You-jen (1879-1964), born in Sanyuan county, Shaanxi province, was a patriotic politician, revolutionary, press activist and educator as well as a famous calligraphy artist.
At a modern calligraphy auction held in Beijing in May, one of Yu You-jen's works was auctioned for over 2 million yuan (US$294,550).
