Ge Yi Art Museum

Ge Yi Art Museum

The Ge Yi Art Museum is located by the Wenfeng Pagoda in Nantong. Established in 1989, it honors Mr. Wang Ge Yi, a master of traditional Chinese painting and a disciple of the Wu (Changshuo) school. Mr. Ge Yi fully inherited the outstanding traditions of the Wu school and explored them for over seventy years, earning the title "Contemporary Master of the Wu School." The museum houses more than 200 calligraphy and painting works donated to the Nantong Municipal Government by Mr. Ge Yi’s family in accordance with his last wishes, as well as his personal collection of calligraphy and paintings by famous figures throughout history.

Wang Ge Yi (1897–1988), whose given name was Xian and courtesy name Qizhi, was a native of Haimen County. At the age of 16, he went to Nantong to study, where he developed a deep passion for poetry, classical prose, epigraphy, calligraphy, and painting. At 27, introduced by Zhu Zongyuan, he went to Shanghai to serve as a tutor to Wu Changshuo, while also studying calligraphy, painting, and seal carving under Wu, becoming an intimate disciple. He served as a professor at Shanghai Xin Hua Art University, Soochow University, and Changming Art Specialized School, as well as a professor and head of the Chinese Painting Department at Shanghai Art Academy. After the founding of New China, he held positions including Vice President and Honorary President of the Shanghai Art Academy, Council Member of the China Artists Association, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Branches of the China Artists Association and Calligraphers Association, Vice President of the Xiling Seal Art Society, and a member of the Shanghai Cultural and Historical Research Institute. He was a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference during its third, fourth, and fifth sessions. He visited Japan three times and traveled to Singapore in 1985 to give lectures and hold exhibitions, promoting international cultural exchanges. Wang Ge Yi achieved great distinction in painting, calligraphy, seal carving, poetry, and ci poetry, all marked by his distinctive personal style. In his paintings, he blended the essence of the Wu Studio with inspiration drawn from nature and real life, creating a unique artistic style. In his later years, he painted with bold freedom, breaking away from the conventional patterns of the Wu School and elevating the Shanghai School of art to new heights. His calligraphy featured the brush strokes of stone-drum script and seal script, with a dynamic interplay between motion and stillness, vigorous and powerful strokes infused with the spirit of epigraphy. His running and cursive scripts attained a level of divine mastery that seemed almost effortless. His seal engravings traced directly back to the Qin and Han dynasties, exuding grandeur and vitality within small spaces, all executed to perfection. His poetry resembled folk songs and Yuefu ballads, bearing the charm of Bai Juyi’s style.

Wang Ge Yi compiled his works into several publications, including Ge Yi’s Painting Collection, Ge Yi’s Seal Impressions, Wang Ge Yi’s Poetry Collection from Shuangcha Pavilion, and Wang Ge Yi’s Random Thoughts. In his later years, he passed away, leaving behind numerous exquisite works. By his will, his paintings, calligraphy, personal masterpieces, and other works accumulated during his lifetime were gifted to his hometown. In response, the city of Nantong built the Ge Yi Art Museum by Sanyuan Bridge to house these treasures.