FINE LI XIONGCAI PAINTINGS FROM THE FAMILY COLLECTION OF LAI HIN–WA (LOTS 1352-1354)These three Li Xiongcai paintings belong to the family of the late Hong Kong Taoist priest Lai Hin-wa. Lai was the head of the Hong Kong Taoist Association and the permanent high priest of Fung Ying Seen Koon, an important Taoist temple in Hong Kong. Under his guidance, Fung Ying Seen Koon made great strides in the promotion of Taoism, education, charity and community development. Lai was an enthusiastic supporter of art and culture. He set up The Centre for Studies of Daoist Culture in collaboration with the Chinese University of Hong Kong, promoted Taoist music, and made significant contributions to global exchange and communication between Taoist associations, repairing prior rifts between religious communities of the Greater China region. He was awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star by the Hong Kong government in 2008 for his contributions to the development of religion and community service in Hong Kong. Born in Zhaoqing in Guangdong province, Lai was a relative of the Lingnan Master Li Xiongcai. Li gave several of his finest works to Lai and his family. Li’s reference to Lai as a “good nephew” in his dedications reflects the close relationship between the two. Two landscape paintings from Lai’s collection achieved strong results in Christie’s Fine Modern Chinese Painting auction of Autumn 2017. The three lots in this sale include examples of Li’s landscape, bird and flower, and figure painting. They encompass the full range of techniques employed in Lai’s late oeuvre, from dryly brushed ink to explosive colours, characteristic of the apogee of the artist’s career in his octogenarian years.
LI XIONGCAI (1910-2001)
Autumn Forest and Waterfall
Details
LI XIONGCAI (1910-2001)
Autumn Forest and Waterfall
Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper
137.5 x 67.8 cm. (54 1/8 x 26 ¾ in.)
Entitled, inscribed and signed, with one seal of the artist
Dated autumn, dingmao year (1987)
Further inscribed and signed by the artist, with two seals
Dated summer, wuchen year (1988)
Dedicated to Xianhua (Mr. Lai Hin-wa)
Autumn Forest and Waterfall
Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper
137.5 x 67.8 cm. (54 1/8 x 26 ¾ in.)
Entitled, inscribed and signed, with one seal of the artist
Dated autumn, dingmao year (1987)
Further inscribed and signed by the artist, with two seals
Dated summer, wuchen year (1988)
Dedicated to Xianhua (Mr. Lai Hin-wa)
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