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Lot Essay
The recipient of this painting is Tai Jingnong (1902–1990), a native of Huoqiu, Anhui. A graduate of the Peking University Research Institute, he taught at several mainland universities before moving to Taiwan in 1946, where he served for many years as professor and chair of the Chinese Literature Department at National Taiwan University. A dedicated educator and prolific scholar, Tai was widely respected in Taiwan’s literary circles.
The friendship between Zhang Daqian and Tai began in the mid1930s through the introduction by Zhang Muhan and continued even after Zhang moved to South America and later California. Tai often carved seals for Zhang’s birthdays, and their correspondence increased after Zhang eventually settled in Taiwan. Tai inscribed the name plaque Moye Jingshe for Zhang’s residence, while Zhang reciprocated and inscribed for Tai’s studio. In 1984, a year after Zhang’s passing, Tai composed a memorial couplet that expressed their fivedecade bond: “He founded a new art movement, his name acclaimed across the universe; The garden remains, and I mourn the loss of a lifelong brotherly friend.”
The present painting was created at the end of 1976, the year Zhang decided to return to Taiwan permanently. Fond of antique papers centuries old, Zhang selected a rare piece of Yuandynasty paper for this work to mark its significance as a gift to Tai. Though modest in size, the painting reflects the intimacy of their friendship and Zhang’s thoughtful choice of materials.
The composition consists on gorges and riverbanks, with only a narrow opening revealing distant sails returning to the bay. Ink and mineral colors—blue and ocher—blend with the darkened tone of the aged paper to create a somber richness. Semiabstract forms merge ancient and modern elements: dotted vegetation and a hut crown the cliffs, while textured lines sketch the distant peaks, expanding the landscape beyond its small scale. Tai treasured the painting and rarely displayed it. Five years later, he invited friends Kong Decheng and Zheng Yinbai to add colophons, and in 1985 Kong inscribed the frontispiece—further testimony to the strong ties among these esteemed scholars.
The friendship between Zhang Daqian and Tai began in the mid1930s through the introduction by Zhang Muhan and continued even after Zhang moved to South America and later California. Tai often carved seals for Zhang’s birthdays, and their correspondence increased after Zhang eventually settled in Taiwan. Tai inscribed the name plaque Moye Jingshe for Zhang’s residence, while Zhang reciprocated and inscribed for Tai’s studio. In 1984, a year after Zhang’s passing, Tai composed a memorial couplet that expressed their fivedecade bond: “He founded a new art movement, his name acclaimed across the universe; The garden remains, and I mourn the loss of a lifelong brotherly friend.”
The present painting was created at the end of 1976, the year Zhang decided to return to Taiwan permanently. Fond of antique papers centuries old, Zhang selected a rare piece of Yuandynasty paper for this work to mark its significance as a gift to Tai. Though modest in size, the painting reflects the intimacy of their friendship and Zhang’s thoughtful choice of materials.
The composition consists on gorges and riverbanks, with only a narrow opening revealing distant sails returning to the bay. Ink and mineral colors—blue and ocher—blend with the darkened tone of the aged paper to create a somber richness. Semiabstract forms merge ancient and modern elements: dotted vegetation and a hut crown the cliffs, while textured lines sketch the distant peaks, expanding the landscape beyond its small scale. Tai treasured the painting and rarely displayed it. Five years later, he invited friends Kong Decheng and Zheng Yinbai to add colophons, and in 1985 Kong inscribed the frontispiece—further testimony to the strong ties among these esteemed scholars.