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Nearly 100,000 people swarmed to the California gold fields in 1849. Approximately 25% were foreign emigrants and within a few years the Chinese population—who referred to the new country as Gum Shan (Gold Mountain)—had grown to over 20,000. In 1850, the infant California legislature introduced laws and taxes discriminating against the Chinese people, who were restricted in the gold mines to working abandoned claims for specks of gold.
Willing to work long hours for little pay, many hired out as laborers; others were entrepreneurial and started small businesses. The family laundry was an outstanding opportunity as the entire family worked in the laundry to provide excellent service at a reasonable cost. The more affluent families supported these establishments, which allowed the business owners to grow, prosper and become part of the citizenry.
San Francisco’s Chinatown was a vibrant commercial center where goods and services between the city’s two cultures dominant were exchanged. Situ’s turn-of-the-century historical paintings capture the vivid energy of this period and its people with beauty and grace. For the collector of important American historical art, they also offer a rare glimpse and insight into this thriving cultural crossroad.
Situ received the Gene Autry Memorial Award given in recognition of the most outstanding presentation of three or more works at the 2013 Masters of the American West Exhibition and Sale. Chinese Laundry was the featured work of this award-winning presentation.
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Born in Southern China, Mian Situ received his formal art training in his
native homeland of Guangdong, formerly Canton. He graduated with a Bachelor of
Fine Arts from the prestigious Guangzhou Institute of Fine Art. After
instructing for six years, he earned a Masters in Fine Art.
Immigrating to Canada, then later moving to the United States, Mian’s
paintings clearly reflect his upbringing in the rural countryside of his
native China. His artistic diversification of subject matter, from the people
of the small villages and farming communities going about their daily lives to
the exquisite portraitures as well as his most recent works inspired by
western historical themes and American landscapes, all reflect the sensitive
dedication of this Master Artist.
Mian has been recognized with many national art awards. During the 2002
Masters of the American West exhibition and sale at the Autry National Center
in Los Angeles California, Mian Situ received the Masters of the American West
Museum Purchase Award, the Thomas Moran Memorial Award for Artistic Merit and
the Patron’s Choice Award. In 2003, Mian was honored with the Thomas Moran
Memorial Award, Artist’s Choice Award and Patron’s Choice Award. Most
recently, in 2005, Mian was presented with the Artist’s Choice Award for his
painting, The Word of God. Mian Situ is represented by Trailside Galleries in
Scottsdale, Arizona and Jackson, Wyoming. He lives with his wife, Helen and
daughter, Lisa in Southern California.
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