THE late works of noted watercolorist Ha Ding (1923-2003) will be auctioned July 7, the first time paintings created during his last years in the United States will be shown.

The sale of 56 works by Hosane auction house will commemorate the 90th birthday of the Shanghai-born painter.

Most of the works were created after he moved to the US in 1991 and settled in Los Angeles, where he cultivated his interested in Buddhism. He died in the US.

Though his works have sold at national and international auctions, this will be the first time they have been auctioned in Shanghai.

His works are part of a larger auction that includes contemporary oils, sculpture and modern and contemporary Chinese ceramics.

In the early 1940s, Ha became a noted portrait artist and in the 1950s he wrote influential books, "How to Draw a Portrait" and "How to Draw with Pencil." He also taught.

During the "cultural revolution" (1966-76) he was criticized and forced to put aside his paint brushes.

His subjects were diverse, including urban scenes, landscapes, still lifes and portraits.

"He demonstrated that watercolor can describe major topics and that it was not merely ?light music but not a symphony'," says Chen Yaowang, director of the Tushanwan Art Museum.

Ha's paintings of ethnic minorities "depict the limitless prairie lands and the pious and hopeful souls of the people, which distinguishes his work from the typical delicate and lyrical style of Chinese watercolors," Chen says.

Ha was among the first Chinese artists who painted watercolors on a large scale, expressing subjects with the richness, weight and power of oil painting.

He also worked in the very different aquarelle style, using very thin and transparent water colors.

This group of watercolors created in the US are shown to the public for the first time, according to Ha Wei, the painter's daughter.

In addition to the auctioned works, the rest of Ha's collection will be donated to the Shanghai China Art Museum and the National Art Museum in Beijing, Ha said.

Preview:

Modern and contemporary Chinese ceramics

Ha Ding's watercolors

Contemporary art - Oil painting and sculpture

Date: July 5-6, 10am

Auction:

Date: July 7, 10 am

Address: Portman Ritz-Carlton, 1376 Nanjing Rd W.