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| Pei-Shen Qian |
The New York Times
Pei-Shen Qian’s paintings hang in an American embassy, a museum and are displayed at international exhibitions. But the artworks do not have his signature.
Mr. Qian, who immigrated to New York four decades ago, is revealed as the painter who created dozens of works modeled after America’s Modernist masters that were sold as their handiwork.
These creations by Mr. Qian are so convincing that they were purchased for millions of dollars although he received only a few thousand dollars for each painting.
Pei-Shen Qian’s neighbors on 95th Street in Woodhaven, Queens, knew he scratched out a living as an artist: he often dried his paintings in the sun, propping them up on the weathered white siding of his modest house.
Pei-Shen Qian’s paintings hang in an American embassy, a museum and are displayed at international exhibitions. But the artworks do not have his signature.
Mr. Qian, who immigrated to New York four decades ago, is revealed as the painter who created dozens of works modeled after America’s Modernist masters that were sold as their handiwork.
These creations by Mr. Qian are so convincing that they were purchased for millions of dollars although he received only a few thousand dollars for each painting.
Pei-Shen Qian’s neighbors on 95th Street in Woodhaven, Queens, knew he scratched out a living as an artist: he often dried his paintings in the sun, propping them up on the weathered white siding of his modest house.
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| Pei-Shen Qian lived and worked in this house on 95th Street in Woodhaven, Queens. Photo: Robert Stolarik for NYTimes |
Over a period of 15 years, court papers claim, the painter, working out of his home studio and garage, churned out at least 63 drawings and paintings that carried the signatures of artistic giants like Jackson Pollock, Barnett Newman, Robert Motherwell and Richard Diebenkorn.
Long before Mr. Qian settled in Queens, he worked as an artist. He grew up in the island city of Zhoushan and in Shanghai, according to a 2004 interview with a Chinese television station. In 1981, Mr. Qian came to New York, where he and his friend Mr. Zhang took art classes together at the Art Students League on West 57th Street. Continue reading at The New York Times.
Long before Mr. Qian settled in Queens, he worked as an artist. He grew up in the island city of Zhoushan and in Shanghai, according to a 2004 interview with a Chinese television station. In 1981, Mr. Qian came to New York, where he and his friend Mr. Zhang took art classes together at the Art Students League on West 57th Street. Continue reading at The New York Times.
