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Property from the Family Collection of Loh Cheng Chuan, Penang (Lots 132-136)
GAO JIANFU (1879-1951)
Five-character Calligraphic Couplet in Cursive Script
Details
GAO JIANFU (1879-1951)
Five-character Calligraphic Couplet in Cursive Script
A pair of scrolls, mounted and framed, ink on paper
Each scroll measures 132 x 32.5 cm. (52 x 12 ¾ in.)(2)
Inscribed and signed, with two seals of the artist
Dated autumn, twenty-ninth year (of the Republic, 1940)
Dedicated to Shanshen (Yang Shanshen, 1913-2004)
Five-character Calligraphic Couplet in Cursive Script
A pair of scrolls, mounted and framed, ink on paper
Each scroll measures 132 x 32.5 cm. (52 x 12 ¾ in.)(2)
Inscribed and signed, with two seals of the artist
Dated autumn, twenty-ninth year (of the Republic, 1940)
Dedicated to Shanshen (Yang Shanshen, 1913-2004)
Further details
Loh Cheng Chuan (1907-1966), sobriquet Zishi, was a renowned art collector in Southeast Asia. He was the founding chairman of the Penang Art Society and was passionate about poetry, calligraphy, seal carving, and epigraphy. Loh was also a Chinese medicine practitioner, and his strong ethics were highly regarded by friends in Malaysia and overseas.
In the early 1940s, Xu Beihong visited Penang to organize an art exhibition to aid China in its resistance against Japan. During this time, he met Loh Cheng Chuan, and their connection was immediate and profound. They became close friends, forming a bond that transcended borders and time. Even after Xu Beihong returned to China, their friendship remained strong, with correspondence and exchanged artworks serving as tokens of their friendship.
After the war, Loh Cheng Chuan developed strong friendships with overseas artists such as Zhao Shao’ang, Yang Shanshen, and Zhang Daqian. He contributed significantly to the local art scene and actively promoted Chinese culture. Zhang Daqian praised him for having a “warm heart like the ancients,” he was often referred to as a key patron and promoter of art in northern Malaysia. Loh assembled an extensive personal art collection and considered art his life’s mission, making him a prominent figure in the northern region of Malaysia.
This collection features multiple works of modern masters from the collection of Loh Cheng Chuan. Xu Beihong’s Standing Horse (lot 132), painted in 1945 as a gift to Loh after the artist return to China, reflects the enduring friendship and connection between the two after their separation. The collaborative piece by Xu Beihong, Zhao Shaogang, and Luo Ming (lot 133) not only exemplifies the artistic exchanges and camaraderie among the painters but also highlights Loh’s dedication to patronizing and supporting artists from diverse regions. A rare calligraphic couplet by Gao Jianfu (lot 135) dedicated to his student Yang Shanshen suggests that the work may have been a gift from Yang. Encompassing a variety of artists and themes, this collection offers a glimpse into Loh’s artistic network and his eclectic taste.
In the early 1940s, Xu Beihong visited Penang to organize an art exhibition to aid China in its resistance against Japan. During this time, he met Loh Cheng Chuan, and their connection was immediate and profound. They became close friends, forming a bond that transcended borders and time. Even after Xu Beihong returned to China, their friendship remained strong, with correspondence and exchanged artworks serving as tokens of their friendship.
After the war, Loh Cheng Chuan developed strong friendships with overseas artists such as Zhao Shao’ang, Yang Shanshen, and Zhang Daqian. He contributed significantly to the local art scene and actively promoted Chinese culture. Zhang Daqian praised him for having a “warm heart like the ancients,” he was often referred to as a key patron and promoter of art in northern Malaysia. Loh assembled an extensive personal art collection and considered art his life’s mission, making him a prominent figure in the northern region of Malaysia.
This collection features multiple works of modern masters from the collection of Loh Cheng Chuan. Xu Beihong’s Standing Horse (lot 132), painted in 1945 as a gift to Loh after the artist return to China, reflects the enduring friendship and connection between the two after their separation. The collaborative piece by Xu Beihong, Zhao Shaogang, and Luo Ming (lot 133) not only exemplifies the artistic exchanges and camaraderie among the painters but also highlights Loh’s dedication to patronizing and supporting artists from diverse regions. A rare calligraphic couplet by Gao Jianfu (lot 135) dedicated to his student Yang Shanshen suggests that the work may have been a gift from Yang. Encompassing a variety of artists and themes, this collection offers a glimpse into Loh’s artistic network and his eclectic taste.
Brought to you by
Carmen Shek Cerne (石嘉雯)
Vice President, Head of Department, Chinese Paintings