Cultured Legacy: Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy from the Chang Shiu Sig and Tung Shui Wah Collection

Christie’s proudly presents “Cultured Legacy: Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy from the Chang Shiu Sig and Tung Shui Wah Collection” as a dedicated online sale.

Dr. Chang Shiu Sig (1919-2012) graduated from National Sun Yat-sen University in 1945 and was a renowned dermatologist in Hong Kong. He devoted his spare time to poetry writing and indulging in the art of calligraphy and painting. He also befriended literati, poets, and artists, including Lingnan masters such as Zhao Shao’ang, Yang Shanshen and the leading academic Rao Zongyi. Dr. Chang’s wife, Ms. Tung Shui Wah (1928-2020), was one of Pu Ru’s four female disciples in Hong Kong. She was given the name Wenjia by her teacher. As a descendant of the Eight Banners stationed in Guangdong and Guangxi, she had a particularly close relationship with Pu Ru. Whenever Pu Ru and his wife visited Hong Kong in the autumn, they would visit Chang’s residence and enjoy the delicious crabs.

This collection consists of three main parts. The first part includes 40 paintings and calligraphy works presented to Dr. Chang by famous Hong Kong and Guangdong artists such as Zhao Shao’ang and Yang Shanshen. The second part of the collection contains works from the Ming and Qing dynasties and 20th-century famous artists collected by the couple, which includes pieces by Wu Hufan and Wu Changshuo. The remaining part primarily comprises of works by Pu Ru gifted to Dr. Chang and Wenjia and numerous drafts for Wenjia to learn from. Many of these drafts have inscriptions by Pu Ru commentating on the painting methods. Some of them are also mounted, which shows how much the Changs cherished these pieces. The collection of one hundred paintings and calligraphic works reflect the owners’ taste and life history in this dedicated sale.