Page 66 - September 20 2021 Fabian Collection of Chinese Paintings Art Bonhams NYC

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REN XIONG (1823-1857)
Duanwu Flower in a Guan Vase
Hanging scroll, ink and color on paper, signed Weichang, with one
artist’s seal Ren Xiong siyin , and two collector’s seals
48 1/4 x 14in (122.5 x 35.5cm)
$12,000 - 18,000

任熊 端陽圖 設色紙本 立軸

Provenance/來源:
Shanghai Duoyunxuan, 24 September 1995, lot 305
上海朵雲軒，1995年9月24日，拍品編號305

Published/出版:
Toda, Teisuke and Hiromitsu Ogawa comp. Comprehensive Illustrated
Catalogue of Chinese Paintings, Third Series, Volume 1: American and
Canadian Collections, University of Tokyo Press, 2013,
A50-228, p. 221
戶田禎佑、小川裕充，《中國繪畫總合圖錄》三編，第一卷，東京大
學出版會，東京，2013年，A50-228，頁221

The flower in the vase is alcea rosea, also known as hollyhock. The
plant is native to southwest China. Around the 15th century, it was
imported to Europe. Beginning from June, hollyhock produces colorful
flowers until late summer to early fall. Because its blooming season
always starts around the same time as the Dragon Boat Festival
(Duanwu jie), the flower is also called Duanwu hua among Chinese
speakers. When celebrating the festival, Chinese people would place
the flowers in a vase at home in the old days. Ren Xiong shares this
tradition with us in the current lot.

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