Page 85 - Fine Chinese Modern and Contemporary Paintings July 8th, 2020 Hong Kong

1082
QI BAISHI (1863-1957)
Morning Glories and Insects
Scroll, mounted and framed, ink and colour on paper
117 x 30 cm. (46 x 11 Æ in.)
Signed, with one seal of the artist
PROVENANCE:
Christie’s Hong Kong, Fine Chinese Modern Paintings, 24 November
2014, Lot 1682.
Collection of Tathata Gallery.
LITERATURE:
Qi Baishi Paintings, Hunan Fine Arts Publishing House, Changsha,
May 2010, p.21.
NOTE:
Qi Baishi’s love for painting morning glories was inspired by his
friend, renowned Chinese opera singer Mei Lanfang. Qi recalled,
“Mei Lanfang planted many flowers. He had over a hundred species
of morning glories, many of which I have never seen. From then on I
began to paint this flower.” In the current painting, the red and blue
morning glories intertwine with the vines and leaves, enriching the
composition from top to bottom. Combining Qi’s mastery of xieyi and
gongbi, Qi used his expert fine brush technique to render the praying
mantis and the cricket so they are realistic and full of life.
HK$2,000,000-3,000,000 US$260,000-390,000
齊白石 牽牛草蟲 設色紙本 鏡框
款識：白石齊璜。
鈐印：木人
來源： 香港佳士得，中國近現代畫，2014年11月24日，編號1682。
真如居收藏。
出版： 《齊白石作品珍藏卷》，湖南美術出版社，長沙，2010年5月，
第21頁。
註：齊白石擅畫花卉草蟲，其中尤其喜愛繪製牽牛花，這源於他早年
結識梅蘭芳。他在自述中回憶：“他（梅蘭芳）家裡種了不少的花
木，光是牽牛花就百來種樣式，有的開著碗般大的花朵，真是見所未
見，從此也畫上了此花。”本幅寫意牽牛花從自上而下點綴而來，紅
藍二色的牽牛花與藤葉交織延展，構圖呈現協調之態；工筆螳螂蟋
蟀，觸鬚、肢節俱纖微畢見，尤其螳螂作站立狀，十足警惕，極其生
動。此幅工筆精繪，細緻逼肖，栩栩如生，寫意則揮灑自如，姿態生
動，形神兼備，可謂工寫結合的極佳範本。

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