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Lot Essay
“Pure water gives rise to the hibiscus, naturally free of ornamentation.” So praised Li Bai (701–761), the great poet of the Tang dynasty. The hibiscus emerges in late autumn as frost descends; its resilience in the cold has earned it the name “Frost-Defying Flower.” Since antiquity, scholars have regarded it as a symbol of integrity. Hibiscus, painted by Zhang Daqian, depicts two buds of quiet charm and one blossom unfolding. Serene, refined, and full of life, the brushwork seems to set the petals gently swaying, as if stirred by a light breeze.
Looking at Zhang Daqian’s works from the 1930s and 1940s, one can see how he refined his command of brush and ink through careful study of the old masters. He absorbed their spirit and discipline, transforming them through his own artistic vision. The inscription on this painting shows that Zhang created the work in the style of Teng Changyou, a painter active during the late Tang and Five Dynasties. Teng was celebrated for his upright character and for his dedication to painting flowers from life. Renowned for his meticulous flower-and-bird style, he later settled in Sichuan while fleeing turmoil.
Zhang Daqian, born in Sichuan Province—a region abundant in hibiscus—was deeply familiar with the area’s flora and landscapes from an early age. In this work, he adopts Teng’s meticulous technique, using fine lines to define the veins of the petals and layering white pigment with soft rouge to produce subtle, textured tonal variations. When compared with Teng Changyou’s Peonies scroll in the National Palace Museum, one senses a shared poetic spirit—an echo across a thousand years, resonating through the beauty of flowers and the language of brush and ink.
Painted in 1949, this work marks a mature phase following Zhang Daqian’s study of the Dunhuang cave murals during the 1940s. He not only absorbed the profound spirit of classical painting but also incorporated into his brushwork the rhythmic lines and distinctive colour sensibilities of the Dunhuang frescoes. As a result, the refined idiom of flower-and-bird painting appears here with both traditional depth and a renewed, contemporary vitality.
Standing alone against a plain ground, the hibiscus reveals a quiet elegance without the need for surrounding scenery. In Zhang’s hands, it unfolds in silence—lucid and pure, solitary yet filled with gentle, flowing life.
Looking at Zhang Daqian’s works from the 1930s and 1940s, one can see how he refined his command of brush and ink through careful study of the old masters. He absorbed their spirit and discipline, transforming them through his own artistic vision. The inscription on this painting shows that Zhang created the work in the style of Teng Changyou, a painter active during the late Tang and Five Dynasties. Teng was celebrated for his upright character and for his dedication to painting flowers from life. Renowned for his meticulous flower-and-bird style, he later settled in Sichuan while fleeing turmoil.
Zhang Daqian, born in Sichuan Province—a region abundant in hibiscus—was deeply familiar with the area’s flora and landscapes from an early age. In this work, he adopts Teng’s meticulous technique, using fine lines to define the veins of the petals and layering white pigment with soft rouge to produce subtle, textured tonal variations. When compared with Teng Changyou’s Peonies scroll in the National Palace Museum, one senses a shared poetic spirit—an echo across a thousand years, resonating through the beauty of flowers and the language of brush and ink.
Painted in 1949, this work marks a mature phase following Zhang Daqian’s study of the Dunhuang cave murals during the 1940s. He not only absorbed the profound spirit of classical painting but also incorporated into his brushwork the rhythmic lines and distinctive colour sensibilities of the Dunhuang frescoes. As a result, the refined idiom of flower-and-bird painting appears here with both traditional depth and a renewed, contemporary vitality.
Standing alone against a plain ground, the hibiscus reveals a quiet elegance without the need for surrounding scenery. In Zhang’s hands, it unfolds in silence—lucid and pure, solitary yet filled with gentle, flowing life.