Davis Museum at Wellesley College "Immortal Magu": Sixteenth-Century Chinese Paintings February 6-May 24, 2026.

Hi it seems to be College Museum time. Below is an interesting exhibition of restored Chinese silk 

paintings from the 16 century  at the Davis Museum. Have some early Chinese New Year Art Fun. 

Start the year of the Horse off perfectly with a visit to this exhibition!!!

Wellesley College  106 Central Street, Wellesley Ma. 20481  

We promote not only art fun but differing cultural art vies to unite people through art,

 as the universal language. Have a great creative day. Jamie Forbes, Fineartmagazinblog.blogspot

 

                            

The Immortal Magu: A Sixteenth-Century Chinese Painting Up Close features treasured work after extensive restoration 

Free, open to the public, & on view at the Davis Museum: Feb. 6, 2026 to May 24, 2026

From left, The Immortal Magu scroll was under conservation in 2024 and then restored (right) using innovative conservation techniques.

Following significant conservation work to repair severe damage to an ancient Chinese silk hanging scroll painting, the Davis Museum at Wellesley College will proudly feature The Immortal Magu: A Sixteenth-Century Chinese Painting Up Close on Feb. 6, an exhibition to highlight this painting of Magu, a beautiful female deity and detail the extensive work required to bring back the painting back to life.

 

“In September 2022, just after starting my job at the Davis Museum, I saw the painting in storage. I was immediately drawn to its scale, artistic quality, and its important representation of the Immortal Magu. However, the painting had never been known to the public and art historians due to its very poor condition,” said Dr. Yahoo Ding, Kemper Assistant Curator of Collections and Academic Affairs, who curated the exhibition for the Davis. “A year later, we decided to launch the conservation project. Under the guidance of Jing Gao, a world-renowned Chinese paintings conservator who used a combination of both traditional and innovative conservation methods, the painting is now preserved for generations to come.”

 

Wellesley College alumna, the late Lois Levin (1921-2017, Class of 1942), donated the large Chinese hanging scroll painting to Wellesley for educational use in 1983. It depicts Magu 麻姑, a legendary Taoist immortal deity associated with longevity and beauty and her important transitional representation of Magu from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). 

 

To preserve this unique painting, the Davis Museum brought in Gao, a world-renowned paintings conservator.  He removed the old backing paper and, using a combination of special paper from Japan, Taiwan, and China, he replaced it to ensure the scroll’s integrity. The painting on the scroll was also washed to bring it back to its original color. He also discovered at least two other conservation efforts done on the scroll before. He plans to discuss his conservation approach with his colleague at TKM Studios, Deborah La Camera, and Wellesley student Berit Raines ‘27 at 4:30 pm on April 8 at Collins Cinema at Wellesley College. 

 

The Immortal Magu: A Sixteenth-Century Chinese Painting Up Close invites visitors to gaze at Magu, the Taoist deity of beauty, and to see the preservation of an immortal who will outlive all.

 

Curated by Dr. Yuhua Ding, Kemper Assistant Curator of Collections and Academic Affairs, with contributions from Berit Raines (Class of 2027), Idie Park (Class of 2026), and Mark Beeman, Senior Manager of Exhibitions and Collections Preparation, this exhibition is generously supported by funds from the Kathryn Wasserman Davis ‘28 Fund for World Cultures and Leadership and Wellesley College Friends of Art at the Davis. Special thanks to Jing Gao, Studio TKM Associates, and Dr. Heping Liu, Associate Professor of Art at Wellesley College. The conservation of Immortal Magu with Wine Vessels was supported by funds from the Mayling Soong Foundation and Barbara E. Sweeny ‘26 Art Conservation Fund.

 

The Davis Museum is free and open to the public Tuesdays to Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please call 781-283-2051 or visit https://www1.wellesley.edu/davismuseum/visit/directions.

 

ABOUT THE DAVIS MUSEUM 

A vital resource for communities on the Wellesley College campus and beyond, the Davis Museum is one of the oldest and most acclaimed academic fine art museums in the United States. Its signature Rafael Moneo building houses collections that span the history of art worldwide, from antiquity to the present. Guided by commitments to diversity and inclusion, excellence and innovation, and access for all, the Davis is at the core of Wellesley’s liberal arts mission of educating women to make a difference in the world. With exceptional encyclopedic holdings, rotating special exhibitions, and enriching public programs, the Davis warmly welcomes all visitors, including scholars and students of all ages.  For visitor information: https://www.wellesley.edu/davismuseum/visit/directions.  

 

ABOUT WELLESLEY COLLEGE AND THE ARTS

The Wellesley College arts curriculum and the highly acclaimed Davis Museum are integral components of the College’s liberal arts education. Departments and programs from across the campus enliven the community with world-class programming– classical and popular music, visual arts, theatre, dance, author readings, symposia, and lectures by some of today’s leading artists and creative thinkers–most of which are free and open to the public.

Since 1875, Wellesley College has been a leader in providing an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world. Its 500-acre campus near Boston is home to some 2,400 undergraduate students from 49 states and 58 countries.

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