The Immortal Magu:
A Sixteenth-Century Chinese Painting Up Close
February 6 — May 24, 2026
In 1983, Lois Levin (1921-2017, Class of 1942) donated a large Chinese hanging scroll painting to Wellesley College for educational use. It depicts Magu, a legendary Taoist immortal deity associated with longevity and beauty. To preserve this unique painting for generations to come, the Davis Museum launched a conservation project in 2023. The Immortal Magu: A Sixteenth-Century Chinese Painting Up Close invites you to gaze at Magu, the Taoist deity of beauty, and to see the preservation of an immortal who will outlive us all.
Curated by Dr. Yuhua Ding, Kemper Assistant Curator of Collections and Academic Affairs, with contributions from Berit Raines (Class of 2027), Idie Park (Class of 2026), and Mark Beeman, Manager of Exhibitions and Collections Preparation, this exhibition is generously supported by funds from the Kathryn Wasserman Davis ’28 Fund for World Cultures and Leadership and Friends of Art at the Davis. Special thanks to Jing Gao, Studio TKM Associates, and Dr. Heping Liu, Associate Professor of Art at Wellesley College. The conservation of Immortal Magu with Wine Vessels was supported by funds from the Mayling Soong Foundation and Barbara E. Sweeny ’26 Art Conservation Fund.