Qipao - Peonies

In early 1949, at the invitation of Cai Keting, a prominent businessman and philanthropist, Zhang Daqian visited Macau from Hong Kong. He and his brother Zhang Shanzi were already acquainted with Cai’s son Cai Changluan in Sichuan during the war. His sojourn in Macau was a peaceful time for the artist: for over three months, he stayed at the Cai family home on Rua da Sé, where his two gibbons played in the garden. He painted often, enjoyed the company of artists also staying in Macau, such as Deng Fen, Bao Shaoyou and Huang Bore, and cooked Sichuan dishes for his hosts and friends. Zhang Daqian dedicated several paintings to members of the Cai family to thank them for their warm hospitality, including a few dresses for the young women of the Cai family, one of which is the present lot. An unusual artwork, it was first painted by the artist, and then tailored into a qipao, and has been treasured by the family since.