QI BAISHI (1863-1957)

Destined Union with Buddha

Details

QI BAISHI (1863-1957)
Destined Union with Buddha
Scroll, mounted and framed, ink and colour on paper
131.5 x 33.5 cm. (51 ¾ x 13 ¼ in.)
Entitled, inscribed and signed, with one seal of the artist
Two collector’s seals of Suma Yakashiro

Provenance

Sotheby’s Hong Kong, Fine Chinese Paintings, 1 May 2005, Lot 179;
Previously from the collection of Yakashiro Suma.

Literature

Ch’i Pai-shih, The Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, 1960, pl. 28.
Qi Baishi’s Paintings, Pacific Book Co., Hong Kong, June 1971, pl. 127.

Exhibited

Tokyo, Nihonbashi Shirakiya, Ch’i Pai-shih, March 1 to 6, 1960.
San Francisco, The Asian Art Museum, Ch’i Pai-shih, 1960.
New York, The Asia Society, Ch’i Pai-shih, 1960.

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Lot Essay

Suma Yakichiro (1892-1970) was a notable Japanese diplomat and art collector who was a close friend of Qi Baishi. As an important diplomat during the Showa era, Suma was acquainted with many Chinese artists while he was posted in China, working in Guangzhou and Nanjing. With his deep understanding of Chinese modern paintings, he was able to set up a comprehensive collection within ten years. Unlike the collection of many other Japanese collectors of the time, Suma’s collection is mostly comprised of Chinese modern paintings, amongst which are many masterworks by Qi Baishi. He also played an important role in promoting Qi Baishi’s paintings in Japan.

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