Page 75 - Christie's Fine Chinese Modern and Contemporary Ink Paintings hk may 226 27 2021

FROM A PRIVATE HONG KONG COLLECTOR 香港私人收藏 (LOT 1060)

1060
ZHANG DAQIAN (1899-1983)
Scholar Reciting Poem after Zhao Mengfu
Scroll, mounted and framed, ink and colour on paper
81.5 x 27 cm. (32 ¿ x 10 ¬ in.)
Inscribed and signed, with two seals of the artist
Dated spring, xinsi year (1941)
NOTE:
In the first half of Zhang Daqian’s long and illustrious career, he
diligently copied works by ancient masters, especially Zhao Mengfu.
Zhang admired the master so much that he had a few of his works in
his private collection, as mentioned in the Dafengtang Painting and
Calligraphy Catalogue. He observed and learned the technique of
Zhao in calligraphy, figure and horse paintings and was particularly
fond of his figure paintings. According to the inscription of the
current lot, Zhang copied Scholar Reciting Poem by Zhao Mengfu in
1941. Unfortunately, the original work was long lost.
Zhang Daqian inscribed the calligraphy and painted the willow
leaves in soft and fine lines, attesting to his earlier style before and
during the early 1940s. The features of the figure, such as his face,
his clothing, and the application of colour, appear to be closer to
Zhang's mature style after his study in the Dunhuang caves. Apart
from the scholar, Zhang Daqian depicted a stream and willow trees
in the surrounding, giving depth to the composition. One can see his
mastery as he meticulously delineated the scholar’s beard, the outline
of his robe, the vibrant colours painted on the shoes and hairband,
and the confident expression and gesture of the scholar. Although
it is likely that Zhang Daqian just arrived in Dunhuang at the time
of painting, the gifted artist already was in transition to give the
current figure painting a new and refreshing style. As a witness to this
transformation, Scholar Reciting Poem after Zhao Mengfu is a testament
to Zhang's early life as an artist before receiving influences from the
Dunhuang cave paintings.
HK$1,000,000-1,500,000 US$130,000-190,000
張大千 倣趙孟頫秋江行吟圖 設色紙本 鏡框
一九四一年作

題識： 江干何物妙，衰柳數行秋。
短詠長吟去，前邨問酒樓。
辛巳（1941年）春，倣趙吳興《秋江行吟圖》，爰。
鈐印：張季、大千居士
註：張大千的藝術生涯中，前半段著力學習古人，其中必然不能忽略
元代大畫家趙孟頫。據1944年《大風堂書畫錄》可知，張大千彼時已
收藏數幅趙孟頫作品，對其書法、人物、駿馬都有臨習，其中又以
人物為重。據題識，本幅乃1941年春臨摹趙孟頫《秋江行吟圖》，惜
原本已不可考。作品中書法與柳葉寫法正是張大千走入四十年代轉
型期的典型風格，行筆細膩柔美；然高士風貌，不論開臉、衣紋、賦
色，均已具備盛年時期的特色，鬚髮描繪工細，衣紋流暢，頭巾和鞋
履賦色濃重；高士雍容自信，刻畫立體，配以溪流水草，畫面深度十
足。雖推測此時大千應剛剛抵達敦煌，但人物畫風貌卻儼然一變，走
向成熟，顯示了張大千卓越的學習領會天賦。本作為認識和研究張大
千四十年代人物畫的轉型與成熟應有重要意義。

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