QI; BAISHI (1864 Xiangtan - 1957 Peking) - attributed.

GRASSHOPPER ON FLOWERING WISTERIA.
GRASH躊FER AUF BL蹾ENDEN GLYZINEN.

China. Ink and pigments on paper. Mounted as hanging scroll. Picture size: 55 x 25cm; complete size: 185 x 39.4cm. The grasshopper painted in a fine gongbi manner makes a delightful contrast to the leaves; flowers; and branches of the wisteria. These are accomplished with fast strokes and powerful colors in the xieyi style. The delicate colors of the insect are applied with great subtlety. The color sequence of the long wisteria blossom extending from blue to purple is refined and vibrates from the contrast of the powerful yellow and vermilion dots. The knowledge about the posture of the insect with his head tilted and his stretched tense is due to attentive observation.

The ingenious composition is characteristic for the virtuosity of Qi Baishi. One single subtle and tender element was placed with great skill amidst a dynamic and nearly chaotic motion possessing calligraphic quality. Sign.: Ji ping lao Ren. Seal: Jie shan weng. Collector's seal at bottom left: Yang Longsheng zhencang (collection of Yang Longsheng). Titleslip by Yang Longsheng: Qi Baishi; Ji ping lao ren; zi teng zha meng and collector's seal. Condition A/B. A little bit yellowed and foxing.

Provenance:
-Private collection Great Britain.
-Collection Yang Longsheng (1913-2013). Yang was a famous collector and an artist himself. He grew up in Singapore; lived in the United States and received a Master's degree from the Meiji University in Japan.

Compare:
-A Chinese webpage was published last year to highlight a centennial exhibition celebrating Yang Longsheng; showing photos of the collector and Qi Baishi. The link to the website is found in the condition report.Art trade; Van Ham.