When works of master Impressionists first travelled to Beijing and Shanghai in a major show in 2004, local audiences were so large that visitors often had to stand on their toes and glance over the shoulders of the dozens of people swarming around a Claude Monet picture.

But today, Chinese are not so easily enticed by big-name Western artists.

The two-month exhibition entitled "From Monet to Picasso" in Beijing, featuring a collection of the world-renowned Cleveland Museum of Art in the United States, failed to sell enough tickets to cover its transportation and insurance costs.

Industry insiders agree that the change in trends stems from the fact Western art is not so rare in the Middle Kingdom. In the wake of the 2004 show's success, about 10 exhibitions of its kind were held over the following two years featuring French, Italian, Russian and Spanish art.

Some exhibition curators might be dismayed by the change, but for others, the swinging trend offered a challenge.

Ken Yeh, deputy chairman of Christie's Asia, believed the time was coming for the Chinese to open up their wallets to purchase Western works.

Yeh has taken Matisse, Modigliani, Picasso and Pissarro to Beijing. The 22 exceptional works by some of the greatest Impressionist and modern masters are being displayed at a free exhibition at the Peninsula Hotel today and tomorrow.

"By presenting these beautiful pieces, Christie's becomes the first international auction house to hold an Impressionist and modern art exhibition in Beijing," said Jane Shan, Christie's representative in Beijing.

In 1994, Christie's became the first international auction to stage an Impressionist paintings exhibition on the Chinese mainland, which was held in Shanghai.

The ongoing show in Beijing is actually one of the previews that Christie's is offering around the world to promote its upcoming Impressionist and Modern Art sale in New York in November.

Also on display are the highlights from Christie's 20th Century Chinese Art and Asian Contemporary Art autumn auctions that will take place in Hong Kong on November 26.

While fine Chinese art was being widely pursued, there is "tremendous potential" for Western art among Chinese mainland collectors, according to Yeh.

Yeh claimed that the number of mainland clients buying Western art had risen since 2004.

Most of these mainland buyers were private entrepreneurs rather than institutions, she said, and it was mostly entrepreneurs in traditional industries making the big purchases.

"These people certainly know about Western art," he said. "They do their homework by asking around, reading art magazines and studying the biographies of artists."

Usually, they prefer Impressionist work and modern art. But for the market to fledge, much education about Western art is still needed, Yeh believed.

"By getting closer to the masterpieces, collectors in Beijing can have a better knowledge of Western art," Shan said, referring to the current show.

The prices of the 22 pieces on display range between US$350,000 and US$2 million. The most expensive is expected to be "Le djeuner" by modern master Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947), with an estimated price tag between US$2-3 million. It depicts the artist himself with his companion Marthe in the dining room of their modest house in the French countryside.

(China Daily September 25, 2006)