Clark's historical background

Clark's expedition set off from Beijing by train at 1908, and then turned to mules and horses. They devoted themselves to drawing the first accurate map of northern China and recording local customs. Later, naturalist Arthur Charlie Soapy joined Clark's expedition. He is also a collaborator in the book "After Shaanxi but Gansu". The expedition also included an artist, a doctor and a meteorologist, an interpreter, a surveyor and several assistants. It was a particularly turbulent period in the history of China. Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi died one after another, and the feudal monarchy in China was dying.

Shaanxi and Gansu are the abbreviations of Shaanxi Province and Gansu Province in China today. Clark's investigation scope is actually much wider, including Shanxi Province and Henan Province, and neighboring Shaanxi Province and Gansu Province in the east. As stated in the foreword of Shaanxi but Gansu, "the publication of this book only hopes to draw attention to China by the West and arouse public interest". This book not only has detailed descriptions, but also photos and paintings of important places, including the Great Wall, the Silk Road, temples, monasteries and caves. Through the investigation of geography, ecology, astronomy and culture, this book provides detailed contents such as history, economy, architecture and local agriculture. Here, extract the book's description of the Great Wall of China:

"The Great Wall is actually the dividing line between Ordos and Shaanxi, just like a low ridge on the surface of the earth. But those beacon towers built about 300 yards apart can be distinguished at a glance. They are the Great Wall, not the ridge. In many ways, the Great Wall monuments are well preserved, which makes people wonder that the Great Wall is not just built of bricks or stones. "

Clark's investigation activities have inspired many related projects in recent years: in the summer of 2008, three students from Oxford University once again embarked on Clark's investigation route; A new academic translation of Crossing Shaanxi and Gansu is being translated by Shi Hongshuai, a professor at Shaanxi Normal University. According to the story that Li Ju took photos on Clark's inspection route many times, CCTV filmed four TV documentaries with "witness-discovery", which is expected to be broadcast on CCTV in June+February, 5438. At that time, the story of the inspection team a hundred years ago and the magnificent scenery of the western regions today will be introduced to the audience. The "Centennial Moment" photo exhibition and documentary were held to commemorate the centenary of Clark's crossing from Shaanxi to Gansu.

About Sterling Clark

Sterling Clark grew up in Cooper Town and new york City. He not only inherited the rich wealth of his grandfather's sewing machine, but also inherited his parents' hobby of collecting artworks and supporting artists. Clark graduated from the Sheffield Science Center of Yale University with a degree in engineering. 19 10 settled in Paris and began to collect works of art.

During his 45-year art collection career, Mr. Clark got to know many famous works of art, including Italian, Dutch and German oil paintings in14th century and15th century, Barbisan painting school (naturalistic landscape painting school in middle and lower France in19th century) and impressionist painting, as well as sculptures, ceramics, silverware, prints, oil paintings and so on. He collected many works of his favorite artists, such as placer gold, Homer, Degas and Renoir. However, his collection did not extend to the art of the 20th century.

Since the opening to the outside world from 65438 to 0955, the collection scale of Clark Museum has increased by about 25%. The latest collection is the wonderful collection of the Manton Foundation, with more than 200 British oil paintings and paintings in18th century and19th century, including works by artists such as J.M.W Turner, John constable and Thomas Genzboro. Other recent collections include Two Horses in the Storm by Eugène Delacroix (65438+1late 1920s); Camier pissarro's The Trimmer (about1895); Jacques Louis David's Henry Amedi, Count of Doohan (1816); Pastoral Farmhouse by Pierre Etienne Theodore Rousseau (1844–1867).

About Curie

Li Ju, Beijinger, freelance photographer and writer, member of the Great Wall Society of China. He traveled all over the country, traveled to many countries in Asia, Europe and America, and recorded the natural landscape, customs and changes of the times with his lens.

Li Ju prefers to explore and re-shoot historical images. Over the past year, he has taken a lot of photos in Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and other western regions. One of them, The Buddha's Light in Yangguan, Gansu, won the gold medal in Wan Li, China to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the first Great Wall Photography Exhibition. He has published graphic travel notes in Fashion Travel, Travel World, Popular Pictorial and other magazines, and many of his works have been included in the Great Wall Large Picture Album, which is supervised by the State Council Information Office.

From June 65438 +065438+2008 10, inspired by Clark's historic scientific investigation in China, Shaanxi and Gansu a hundred years ago, Clark embarked on the road of "crossing Shaanxi and Gansu" for five times with great enthusiasm and perseverance. According to the historical photos of mountains, rivers, places of interest, towns and other places taken by Clark's expedition a hundred years ago, he searched for shooting locations, re-photographed them in the corresponding seats, communicated with his ancestors with the lens, and described the changes after a hundred years of vicissitudes with photos to commemorate the feat of Clark's expedition crossing Shaanxi and Gansu a hundred years ago.

About Sterling and francine Clark Art Center

Clark Art Center covers an area of 140 acre and is located on the picturesque hillside of Berkshire in western Massachusetts. This is an art museum, an art research and higher education center, dedicated to improving and developing the public's understanding of art. In order to continue to carry forward the dual mission of the art center, Clark Art Center has held many unprecedented exhibitions to promote academic research and establish public art appreciation.

The research and academic topics of Clark Art Center include international research projects and regular conferences, academic seminars and symposiums to attract art leaders from all over the world. Clark Art Center includes a library with the richest collection of art history, and cooperates with Williams University to launch the top graduate program of art history in the United States.

In June 2008, Clark Art Center opened the East Jill Center, which was the first stage of campus expansion and reconstruction, and was designed by Tadao Ando, who won the Pritzker Architecture Award. This 32,000-square-foot wood and glass building has several small exhibition halls, a classroom for meetings and artistic practice, an outdoor cafe and a Williamstown Art Protection Center (WACC). The second phase expansion project of Clark Art Center was designed by Tadao Ando, including the construction of a brand-new independent building for holding special exhibitions and serving the audience. There are also teaching and conference facilities, which are expected to be completed on 20 13. The second phase of the project also includes the expansion and upgrading of existing buildings designed by Annabel Seldorf.

Brief introduction of curator

Michael Conforti.

Director of Sterling and francine Clark Art Center.

(Sterling and francine Clark College of Art)

Mr. Michael Conforti graduated from the famous Trinity College in the United States, and received a doctorate in art history from Harvard University.

Before being the curator of Clark Art Center, he was the chief curator of Minneapolis Art Institute 14 years. He is a visiting scholar of Andrew Mellon in the National Gallery of America and a visiting scholar in the Sculpture Department of J. paul getty Art Museum. From 1977 to 1980, Michael planned an exhibition of sculpture and decorative arts at the San Francisco Art Museum.

Mr. Michael holds several positions, including: Dean of American Academy in Rome, curator of Carter Museum of Art in Osburg (Texas), international member of American Museum Association, current chairman of the Board of Directors of Art Museum Association, member of National Art History Committee, and director of international art history seminar. He used to teach at Williams College as a formal lecturer. There are professional works, including sculpture, decorative arts, museum history and customs, as well as public and private collections under the western social and cultural background.

Michael has been the curator of Stirling and francine Clark Art Center since 1994. Under his planning, Clark Art Center greatly expanded its collection, special exhibitions, research and academic activities.

Since the opening to the outside world from 65438 to 0955, the collection scale of Clark Museum has increased by about 25%. At the suggestion of curator Michael, some very important collections were collected by Clark Art Center.

The latest collection is the wonderful collection of the Manton Foundation, with more than 200 British oil paintings and paintings in18th century and19th century, including works by artists such as J.M.W Turner, John constable and Thomas Genzboro. Other recent collections include Two Horses in the Storm by Eugène Delacroix (65438+1late 1920s); Camier pissarro's The Trimmer (about1895); Jacques Louis David's Henry Amedi, Count of Doohan (1816); Pastoral Farmhouse by Pierre Etienne Theodore Rousseau (1844–1867).

Clark Art Center has been devoted to cultural exchanges, exhibitions and educational projects in China and around the world.

In 2007, under the leadership of Mr. Michael, Clark Art Center and American College in Rome held a meeting in Rome.

At the meeting, representatives of art galleries and cultural institutions in the United States and Italy discussed how to promote cooperation between the two countries in order to enhance knowledge and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

The "Centennial Moment" roving exhibition, which started in Beijing, China, also strengthened the purpose of Clark Art Center. In 20 13, Clark Art Center will hold French oil painting exhibitions with important museums in Beijing and Shanghai, so as to further develop the relationship between the center's artistic heritage and China, which Sterling Clark has carefully studied in his early years.