A bitter family dispute has erupted involving Fan Zeng, one of China's most expensive living painters, after his daughter publicly accused the artist's much younger wife of removing valuable artworks and antiques worth billions while he was away from home. The 87-year-old artist, often called "China's Picasso," has disappeared along with his 36-year-old wife Xu Meng, sparking widespread concern about his health and safety among family members and the art community.
On Saturday, Fan's daughter Fan Xiaohui made explosive allegations online, claiming that her elderly father had been taken away by his young wife, whom he married in 2023 when she was 50 years his junior. She accused Xu of orchestrating the systematic removal of decades' worth of paintings, calligraphy, and antiques from the family residence, which was subsequently sealed off. The daughter also reported that longtime household staff members were dismissed, adding fuel to speculation about serious internal family conflict.
The accusations came amid swirling online rumors suggesting that Xu had secretly transferred artworks and antiques valued at over 2 billion yuan (approximately $275 million) in multiple batches over the past three months. These allegations have sent shockwaves through China's art world, given Fan Zeng's status as a national treasure and his enormous financial success in the international art market.
However, the claims were quickly challenged by posts believed to be from Fan's stepson, Fan Yifu, who shared recent photographs of the artist attending an exhibition in late July. The images showed Fan appearing to be in good spirits alongside Xu, seemingly contradicting the daughter's accusations of wrongdoing. Interestingly, Xu's loose-fitting clothing in the pictures sparked speculation on Chinese social media about a possible pregnancy, though no official confirmation has been made.
Internationally, Fan Zeng has achieved remarkable recognition, particularly in Japan, where he became one of the few foreign artists to have a dedicated museum, following in the footsteps of Pablo Picasso himself. Like Picasso, who had two wives and six mistresses, Fan's personal life has consistently drawn public attention throughout his career. The artist has been married four times and made international headlines when he wed Xu in 2023, despite their significant age difference.
Born in 1938 in Jiangsu Province, Fan Zeng has long been celebrated as a national treasure in Chinese art circles, particularly renowned for his traditional ink paintings and masterful calligraphy. His commercial success has been extraordinary – he has consistently ranked among the Hurun Most Successful Chinese Living Artists since 2010, claiming the top position in both 2011 and 2012. Over the past 15 years, his auction sales have totaled approximately 3.5 billion yuan, with several individual works fetching hundreds of millions. His most expensive piece, titled "Four Arts," sold for a staggering 430 million yuan.
The complex family dynamics surrounding Fan Zeng have added multiple layers to the current dispute. Fan Yifu, who has publicly defended Xu against the accusations, is actually the son of Fan's third wife from her previous marriage but later adopted the Fan surname. The artist also claims descent from the historical figure Fan Zhongyan, a renowned Song dynasty scholar and politician. Earlier in his career, Fan worked as an assistant to modern novelist Shen Congwen, though the two reportedly had a falling out during China's Cultural Revolution.
With Fan's personal net worth estimated at 1 billion yuan and his total artwork collection valued at multiple billions, the financial stakes in this family feud are exceptionally high. The unfolding drama has captivated Chinese social media users, where heated debates rage not only about the alleged disappearance of Fan's precious art collection but also about broader issues including inheritance battles, family loyalty, and the controversial influence of significantly younger spouses in high-profile marriages involving elderly wealthy individuals.
The situation remains fluid as both sides of the family continue to present conflicting narratives about Fan Zeng's whereabouts and wellbeing. The art world watches closely as this family dispute could potentially impact the market value and accessibility of one of China's most important contemporary art collections, while questions about the artist's safety and the fate of his billion-dollar legacy remain unanswered.
