‘THE HOMETOWN OF FLOWERS’, BY LI JIAN (1747-1799)

拍品描述

‘THE HOMETOWN OF FLOWERS’, BY LI JIAN (1747-1799) China. Ink and watercolors on brocade silk, backed on paper. Finely painted to depict an idyllic scene with a scholar crossing a bridge, farmers in cottages beside a stream, all below rocky mountains overgrown with pine trees, and with a poem to the upper left. Inscriptions: To the upper left, ‘Fojiao, Village of Flowers Plum trees twist, pines gleam upon the stream; Woodcutters return to their huts, aglow. Straight through the Western Woods—a mountain’s name— They enter the village pavilion, where serenity grows. In red robes, perhaps, are hometown folks I see; The woodcutter on the slope [...] still a wanderer. Once distant, now near—such is memory’s play, Yet far and near now dwell in the heart’s pure way. Last night, the wind churned waves across the river; Summer robes, winter guests—how to bear the shiver? Since parting, slender bamboos stand alone, Their rustling leaves adding verses to the unknown. Signed ‘Erqiao Shanren’ with the artist’s seal mark, ‘Erqiao’. Dimensions: Size 72.1 x 39.6 cm Framed behind glass. Fojiao was first settled as early as the late Tang dynasty. Local custom referred to rivers as ‘jiao’, giving rise to the name Fojiao. During the Yongzheng period of the Qing dynasty, a land dispute with a neighboring village resulted in the intentional use of the name Bijiao rather than Fojiao in an official petition, thereby altering the village’s recorded name. Renowned for its long-standing tradition of flower cultivation, the village came to be celebrated both within and beyond the province as the ‘Hometown of Flowers’. Li Jian, artist name Erqiao, was a native of Bijao, Shunde, Guangdong province. He started his career as a skilled portrait painter but later made his name as a landscape painter in the tradition of Shitao, Ni Zan and Wu Zhen. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Bonhams San Francisco, 28 June 2016, lot 8255 Price: USD 15,000 or approx. EUR 17,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related subject, muted colors, and the manner of painting. Note the size (73.5 x 40.3 cm).

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