Qi Gong (Chinese)

A landscape fan painting

Watercolor and ink on paper

With inscription, signature and five seals to recto; calligraphy, inscription and two seals to verso.Qi Gong's painting is exquisite and elegant. This fan painting is done with soft and nuanced brush work and shows tender leaves rustling in the autumn wind, attracting a free spirited, white-robed gentleman who walks on the road with a cane. "Inspiration Seeking in Autumn Woods" was originally a painting by the Ming Dynasty painter Wan Bangzhi, which was later recreated by Zhang Daqian in 1939. The painting on this fan is based on Zhang Daqian's version, complemented by scripture. Han Zhenghua wrote the calligraphy on the back which is an excerpt from a poem from the Northern Song dynasty poet, Su Shi.

For reference: Beijing Council, December 2014, Lot 0733.

H: 8 3/4, W: 18 1/8 in. (fan)

H: 22.22, W: 46.04 cm. (fan)

Provenance: Private collector, Vancouver, Canada.

Condition: Disconnected and missing from guard and sticks.

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啟功 山水書法扇面

正面
題識：法繪敬求賜呼劍樵 鹿健寶代求；秋林覓句圖 劍樵先生大雅正之，元白啓功。 鈐印：元白卅以後作（朱）；壬午七月元白戲題髯謂大風堂主人也。
鈐印：壬午（朱） ；元伯（朱）；一問（白）。
釋文：六法曾摹查二瞻 筆縱枯淡墨痕廉 偶拈逸宕清湘格 具眼休疑學阿髯
背面
題識：劍樵仁兄先生方家雅正弟振華。
釋文：軾啓 新歲未獲展慶祝頌， 無窮稍晴起居何如好日起，造必有涯何日果可入城昨日，得公擇書過上元乃行計月末，間到此，公亦以此時來如何竊計，上元起造尚未畢工軾亦自不，出無緣奉陪夜遊也沙枋畫，籠旦夕附陳隆船去次今先，附扶劣膏去此中有一鑄銅匠，欲借所收建州木茶臼子並椎，試令依樣造看兼適有閩中，人便或令看過因往彼買一副，也乞蹔付去人，專愛護便納上。餘寒更乞保重，冗中恕不謹。
鈐印：韓振華（白）；誦裳（朱）
賞啓先生畫如品佳茗，未入口已覺清氣襲人，細品之則雲姿霧態蔚然室中也。此畫用筆極爲圓潤可愛，尤其是霜柯的出枝，如春蠶食桑，筆跡斑駁而入紙，似聞悉簌之聲，路上曳杖而行的白袍雅客亦清逸絕塵。《秋林覓句圖》原是明代畫家萬邦治的繪畫作品，後經張大千先生於1939年臨古創作，啓功先生又於1942年臨張大千的《秋林覓句圖》並二次題跋，可見其對這幅作品甚爲滿意。背面書法詞句出自北宋 蘇軾 行書《新歲展慶帖》。

參閱北京匡時2014年12月拍賣，編號0733。