The widow of Huang Zhou (1925-97) has put 11 masterpieces of the renowned artist up for auction this Sunday to finance the continuing operation of the private Yanhuang Foundation.

The foundation, established in 1991, is the major contributor to the Yanhuang Art Museum, the first private museum built in China after 1949.

Both the foundation and the museum are facing critical financial difficulties, said Zheng Wenhui, Huang's widow and honorary president of the foundation.

She expects new record prices for her husband's works to be set at the spring auction of the Rongbao Auction House, which is to be held this Sunday at the Asia Hotel, Beijing.

She has high expectations because the famous Honghuang Fengxue (Wilderness of Blowing Snow) is one of the 11 works to be sold.

The painting, which won a major international prize in 1957, was one of Huang's favorites and has appeared in many of his albums, although few have seen the original work.

It was created in 1955 when Huang traveled the newly built Qinghai-Tibet road.

Some changes were made to the painting in the years between 1955 and 1964.

And Huang hid it in a pile of paper during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76).

The estimated price of the large work is between 3 and 5 million yuan (US$360,000-600,000).

Huang's works will be among the more than 700 calligraphic works, paintings and ceramics to be offered at the Sunday auction.

Wang Wei, a spokesperson for the Rongbao Auction House, also mentioned that a large painting by Fu Baoshi, titled Lufeng Qiuxi (Autumn Dusk at Lushan Mountain) will also go on the block.

(China Daily May 14, 2004)