Page 93 - Christies May 12, 2017 Kensington

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These two exceptional and rare porcelain seals are signed by
the famous Republican porcelain painter He Xuren (1882-
1940), renowned for his exquisite paintings of wintry scenes
and one of the ‘Eight Friends of Zhushan’.

The inscription on the frst seal reveals they were specially
commissioned as a gift for ‘Commander-in-Chief Yi Zhi’, with
‘compliments of Baosen’. Yi Zhi refers to Zhu Peide (1888-
1937), a high-ranking general of the Kuomintang and comrade
of Sun Yat-Sen. The seal face is carved in baiwen with ‘Zhu
Peide Yin’, which may be translated as ‘Zhu Peide’s seal’. The
second seal face is carved in zhuwen with ’Yi Zhi’.

The inscription on the second seal reveals He Xuren painted
the scenes on both seals in imitation of ’Shitian Lao Ren’ (1427-
1509), one of the great painters of the Ming dynasty. It is likely
that He Xuren received this special commission from Baosen
to make these seals as a gift for Commander-in-Chief Yi Zhi.

Republic period porcelain seals are rare and few examples
are documented. Three examples dated to the late Qing and
early Republic periods can be found in the Hunan Changsha
Museum. See Luo, Leiguang (ed.), Series of Collection in Hunan
Changsha Leiguang Salon. Selections from Liling Underglaze
Wucai Porcelain. Hubei, 2004.