Reading Response: Ellen Johnstone Liang Suzhou Pian

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Reading Response
Introduction
The quest to identify original works of art according to Ellen Johnstone Liang in his writing on “Suzhou Pian” and other Dubious Paintings in the Received “Oeuvre” have proved difficult due to the emergence of several forgers whose techniques in forgery improve everyday making it more difficult to separate fake from original. Forgers have gone to the extent of adding artist’s own names in the fake pieces of art making it more difficult to detect (Laing 265). The achievements of famous painters for example Qui Ying have been forgotten due to the increase of forgers who falsely attach his name to forged paintings. Paintings can be faked by changing and distorting the artist’s signatures, forgery and distribution of fake seals that supposedly belong to the original painters. Several initiatives have been taken to ensure that this practice is put under control and is exposed in order to keep the original authors relevant throughout history. Ellen’s main focus was to point out the works of various authors to expose the fake works of art.
Forgery was evident in most regions in China; Beijing, Tianjin, Shangai, Guangzhou and Suzhou with Tianjin calligraphers and painters being the experts in the forgery business (Liang 266). It reached a point where the forgery of paintings became an industry of its own with several people being employed to handle the various stages of forging paintings. Several fakers specialized in a specific type of paintings and forged them to generate income. The practice of forgery was wide spread to the point that poets had to compose poems to list the names of people whose art had been faked. The forgers preferred certain themes for instance the literary of origin as it catered the combination of calligraphy and painting in the same piece of art....