Page 70 - September 20 2021 Fabian Collection of Chinese Paintings Art Bonhams NYC

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REN YI (1840-1895) The collector’s seal at the bottom left corner belongs to Qian Jingtang
Bird on a Magnolia Branch, 1892 (1907-1983), one of the greatest collectors of calligraphy and painting
Hanging scroll, ink and color on paper inscribed by the artist with a in the Jiangnan region, and Ren Yi was one of his most highly regarded
date of Guangxu renchen, and signed Shanyin Ren Yi, with two artist’s painters. The collector’s seal as seen on this painting was made
seals Shanyin Ren Yi and Yi yin with a collector’s seal Qian Jingtang specifically for Ren Yi’s works in his collection. Many paintings by Ren
jianding Ren Bonian zhenji zhi yin. Yi now in the collections of the Palace Museum and the National Art
51 5/8 x 22 3/8in (131 x 57cm) Museum of China are also previously in Qian’s collection.

$15,000 - 20,000 His authentication seal also appears on another Ren Bonian painting
in the Fabian collection, Portrait of Gao Yong’s wife, illustrated in Little,
任頤 玉堂富貴 設色紙本 立軸 一八九二年作 Stephen, and J. May Lee Barrett New Songs on Ancient Tunes: 19th-
20th Century Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy from the Richard
Provenance/來源: Fabian Collection, Honolulu: Honolulu Academy of Arts,
Collection of Qian Jingtang (1907-1983) 2007, pp. 274-275.
錢鏡塘舊藏
任頤（1840-1895），字伯年，浙江紹興人。父鶴聲，擅肖像，任伯
Published/出版: 年幼從父習畫，尤重寫實。繼師任熊、任薰。同治七年（1868）移居
Toda, Teisuke and Hiromitsu Ogawa comp. Comprehensive Illustrated 上海，住在城隍廟的豫園。他廣結友人，與吳昌碩、虛谷、蒲華、王
Catalogue of Chinese Paintings, Third Series, Volume 1: American and 秋言、蔣石鶴、吳友如等，往來密切。
Canadian Collections, University of Tokyo Press, 2013,
A50-163, p. 216 此玉蘭圖作於任頤晚年，此時他受陳淳、八大山人、華嵒等的寫意花
戶田禎佑、小川裕充，《中國繪畫總合圖錄》三編，第一卷，東京大 鳥影響，畫風更趨簡約自然。該圖佈局簡逸，筆墨隨性，卻仍處處見
學出版會，東京，2013年，A50-163，頁216 畫家心思功力，如以濃淡不同墨色勾勒前後枝條以表現畫面景深。立
於枝條上的小鳥動態十足，眼眸靈動，形成與畫面另一側的花枝相對
的畫面上另一焦點。
Ren Yi, who used the courtesy name Bonian, was a native of
Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. His father Hesheng excelled at portrait 本幅左下角有錢鏡塘（1907-1983）藏印一方。錢氏素有書畫”江南第
painting, and as a child Ren Yi learned painting from him, emphasizing 一藏”之稱，任頤即為他最推崇的畫家之一。該藏印即為錢特製”錢鏡
a realistic style. In 1868 (the 7th year of the Tongzhi period), he moved 塘鑑定任伯年真跡之印”以鈐於其所藏任頤書畫之上。現故宮博物院及
to Shanghai residing at the Yu Garden of Chenghuangmiao (City 中國美術館所藏任頤作品，亦多有為錢氏舊藏。
God’s Temple), studying with the brothers Ren Xiong and Ren Xun. In
Shanghai he befriended other artists such as Wu Changshuo, Xugu, 費立哲神父所藏另一任頤作品《高邕夫人肖像》，亦鈐有錢鏡塘
Pu Hua, Wang Qiuyan, Jiang Shihe and Wu Youru, and they often 鑑定任伯年真跡之印，參見Little, Stephen, and J. May Lee Barrett
socialized together. 所著，New Songs on Ancient Tunes: 19th-20th Century Chinese
Paintings and Calligraphy from the Richard Fabian Collection,
This painting was made in Ren Yi’s later years, when he was 2007年, 頁274-275。
increasingly influenced by the freehand brushwork of bird and flower
paintings by Chen Chun, Bada Shanren, and Hua Yan, adopting a
more concise and natural style. Though with a simple composition
and seemingly casual brushstrokes, the painting still shows the artist’s
great techniques. Ink in different shades is applied to branches in the
front and back, cleverly expanding the depth of the scene. The bird
standing on the branch is vividly painted with a soulful eye, creating
another focal point opposite the flowering branch on the other side
of the painting.

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