In the iconic series, "Apology to the Masters", Beijing photographer Pan Yue (China, B. 1968) recreates some of the most famous European Renaissance and Old Master paintings in Beijing Opera style, large-scale, color photographs. "Holbein: The Ambassadors" (2008) is a dynamic image based on the famous painting "The Ambassadors" (1553), now hanging the in the National Gallery of Art, London by German Old Master painter, Hans Holbein the Younger, one of the most accomplished portrait painters of the 16th century. Pan stays true to the original composition and narrative, in which two elaborately dressed nobleman, Jean de Dinteville, French ambassador to England and his friend, Georges de Selve bishop of Lavaur, who acted as ambassador to the Emperor, the Venetian Republic and the Holy See, are painted by Holbein during their visit to the Court of Henry VIII, as he was appointed the English King's painter in 1536. The men flank a tall table upon which sits a number of objects to measure time and chart the heavens. Even the distorted human skull that is painted at the bottom of the original is included in Pan's photograph, yet in a much more dead-pan manner. The series "Apology to the Masters" was exhibited in its entirety in 2008 at Art Seasons Gallery, Singapore. This is the only edition of this exciting photograph to ever come to international auction. This work is from an edition of 10, measures 50 x 49.21 inches (127 x 125 cm), is professionally framed and mounted to aluminum, in excellent condition.

Pan Yue was born in 1968 in Beijing, China. From 1984 to 1988 he studied at the high school affiliated with the Central Academy of Fine Arts and from1988- 1992 he formally trained at the No.1 Studio Oil Painting Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. By 1992 he was a Lecturer of fine arts & art history at the Landscape Architecture of Beijing Forestry University and by 2000 he had moved to Europe to live and work, and studied as teacher in training at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts, Paris. His photographs have been exhibited internationally since the 1990's at Museums and Exhibitions including his solo show in 2009 “Once, Red Star Over China: New Documentary Photography From Pan Yue,” Art Seasons, Beijing, China and Singapore. Recent group exhibitions include his 2010 travelling show: “Passing By China,” at Sanatorium, Istanbul, Turkey and Eli Klein Fine Art, New York, USA and in 2009 “Contemporary Chinese Photography,” Florida Museum of Photographic Art, Tampa, Florida, USA. His The 1994 "Invitational Exhibition of 100 Young Painters In Oil Painting", National Gallery, Beijing, China and again in "The 1993 Biennial Art Exhibition of China", National Gallery, Beijing, China.