Page 191 - Bonhams, Fine Chinese Art, London November 3, 2022

PROPERTY OF A SWEDISH FAMILY
瑞典家族藏品

212 *
ATTRIBUTED TO QI BAISHI (1864-1957)
Pumpkins
Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper, inscribed
and bearing signature of Baishi Laoren, with two
artist’s seals Qi Da, Wushier nian Bashiba.
102cm (40 1/4in) long x 33cm (13in) wide.

£15,000 - 20,000
CNY120,000 - 160,000

傳齊白石 南瓜與蚱蜢 設色紙本 立軸

Provenance: Mrs Hazel Elfwendahl (1923-2018),
and thence by descent

來源：Hazel Elfwendahl夫人（1923-2018）舊藏，
並由後人保存迄今

Hazel Elfwendahl (1923-2018) was wife of Bo
Elfwendahl (1928-2004) Sweden’s Vice Consul with
the Royal Swedish Consulate in Hong Kong 1957-
1962. During their diplomatic posting to Hong Kong,
Mrs Elfwendahl took great interest and acquired
during these years a deeper knowledge into Chinese
art, and also an opportunity to peruse painting and
calligraphy studies for the Chinese Master, Mrs
Chow Leung Chen Ying. Mrs Elfwendahl’s keen
interest established several friendships with Hong
Kong art collectors.

Qi Baishi (1864-1957) is perhaps the most famous
Chinese artist of the 20th century. He is noted for
his whimsical, playful, and seemingly simple style
of painting. Born to a peasant family from Xiangtan,
Hunan, Qi became a carpenter at 14, and learned to
paint by himself. When he came across the ‘Mustard
Seed Garden Manual of Painting’, that sparked his
interest to paint. He did not start learning painting
and calligraphy until he was 27. After he turned 40,
he travelled, visiting various scenic spots in China.
After 1917 he settled in Beijing. Qi is known for the
freshness and spontaneity that he brought to the
familiar genres of birds and flowers, insects and
grasses, hermit-scholars and landscapes.

Compare with a similar painting of pumpkins and
grasshopper, by Qi Baishi, which was sold at
Christie’s Hong Kong, 8 July 2020, lot 1081.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue. FINE CHINESE ART | 189