Chinese Prints

In 2003 we at artelino received our first consignment of modern Chinese art prints. We remember well how excited we were. These images were so refreshing and new. And we had never heard before of modern Chinese art prints. Since then our enthusiasm for contemporary Chinese art prints has never dwindled. And the virus of compassion has spread to a small group of passionate collectors and art aficionados. We are proud to have been a pioneer in offering modern Chinese art prints outside China.

Boom in Modern Chinese Prints - mainly in China

Since then we have sold more than 3,000 Chinese prints in auctions and direct. The auctions have seen strong ups but also downs. The sales of Chinese prints outside China - like it or not - are connected to the general political climate and how China is seen in the world. Inside China, Chinese art prints have experienced a strong upswing over the last years.

This has lead to a strange situation. The Chinese prints offered by artelino are often cheaper than in China. How come? Quite simple. Even leading Chinese printmakers are still little known and established outside China. And the Chinese artists who have achieved the highest artistic recognition possible in China, yearn to be shown and recognized outside China as well, especially in North America and in Europe. In addition, Chinese printmakers experienced how their colleagues from the "painting department" have become international shooting stars whose paintings achieve prices of more than one million $ like for instance Zhang Xiaogang with his "Blood Line" series.

On long term Chinese prints may turn out to be a good investment in art. Why? Because the edition sizes - mainly of the prints from the 1980s, 1990s and even those made after 2000 are usually small (not more than hundred) to extremely small (only 5 or 10). Provided the Chinese economy does not again disappear in oblivion, growing wealth and the huge Chinese population combined with a growing national pride, will act as a price booster for Chinese art prints.

Modern Chinese Prints

Modern Chinese prints have only recently gained attention and recognition outside of China and are currently emerging on the international art scene. This movement began after the end of the Cultural Revolution and with the opening of China to the rest of the world in the early 1980s.

Modern Chinese printmaking makes use of all available techniques. The most common types of prints, however, are woodblocks and as a special form of it called reduction woodblock prints. The reduction technique physically destroys the woodblock in the printmaking process. Because it is then impossible to create further impressions, the original editions are not at risk of losing their value on account of further reprints.

Chinese printmakers use a wide variety of subjects. Themes are frequently rooted in old folk traditions, legends and the daily life of ethnic minorities, like people from Inner Mongolia, Yunnan or Tibet. These and other remote provinces in China have developed into art centers, internationally known under names like "Yunnan Art School".

Recommended Reading

In our entertainment section you can find a plethora of articles on Chinese art - mainly biographies. Here are a few recommendations for newbies.

How to Buy Chinese Art Prints

You can purchase Chinese prints either in our online auctions or you can buy direct. Please see our auction calendar and make sure to register. If you find something that stirs your interest in the BUY OUT catalog, please contact us personally by e-mail or phone. We do not use an anonymous shopping cart. We rather think that most people would prefer to buy art - if not face to face - in a kind of individual communication from a knowledgeable seller.

Gallery of Chinese Art Prints

Here are a few more examples of great Chinese art prints. They were all created by leading and well-established Chinese artists.

Reduction Woodblock Print
by Li Yanpeng, born 1958