Plum Blossoms / Gibbons

Born in Beijing in 1939, Jo Wang began working with brush and ink at the age of four. She took to books at a young age, reading classical Chinese and writing short stories, which informed a life-long passion for art and culture. A brilliant student, she graduated from the National Academy of Arts in Taiwan in 1962 and later became the pupil of Huang Junbi. Jo married David Hess, an American diplomat, with whom she moved to Hong Kong in 1967 where she studied painting under Zhao Shao’ang. There, she held her first solo exhibition and began teaching Chinese painting. In 1974 the family relocated to Monterrey, California, where Jo operated an art gallery. By chance she met Zhang Daqian, who was then living in Pebble Beach. Jo became a mentee of the artist, and was often by his side when he painted.

In 1980 they arrived in Shanghai, and an exhibition soon followed. Artists, including Liu Haisu and Liu Danzhai, visited the exhibition and praised Jo’s paintings. David and Jo moved, again, to Taiwan in 1984. Throughout David’s illustrious diplomatic career spanning decades and continents, the couple were gracious hosts and held court at parties, entertaining artists, writers and musicians wherever they went. Warm, vibrant and always generous, Jo often hosted painting parties for artists where guests were invited to paint or write calligraphy together. The present collection, assembled by Jo Wang and David Hess over decades, stands as a testament to the artistic friendships they formed, as well as their commitment to connoisseurship.