Plane Tree and Two Birds

DAI YUAN (18TH CENTURY)
Plane Tree and Two Birds
Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper
114.2 x 38.2 cm. (45 x 15 in.)
Inscribed and signed, with two seals of the artist
Dated autumn, ninth month, yimao year (sixtieth year of the Qianlong regime, 1795)
Five collectors' seals

NOTE:
Dai Yuan, also known as Shihong and Yi Zhai, was a native of Shexian County, Anhui Province. He was a native of Shexian County, Anhui Province, and an overseas Chinese living in Suzhou, known for his expertise in creating figures and floral paintings.

Kwok Zhongyi (1900-1994), also known as Xiaoqing, Zhongyi, with studio name Qin Yan Zhai (Studio of Qin and Inkstone), was a distinguished art connoisseur from Shanghai during the Republican period. He was closely associated with esteemed artists such as Wu Hufan, Xie Zhiliu, Zhang Daqian, Pu Ru, and Peking Opera performer Mei Lanfang, which helped enrich his artistic pursuits and inspiration. Kwok’s diverse interests extended beyond art, encompassing music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. As a result, his home exuded an atmosphere of vibrant artistic expression.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Kwok Chun-Po (1938-2022) inherited and continued the artistic traditions and knowledge of Qin Yan Zhai. He graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and became a celebrated tenor. After relocating to Hong Kong, he actively immersed himself in the world of collecting antiques and paintings. The Kwok family’s relationship with Wu Hufan grew stronger, with Wu cherishing Kwok Chun-po as his godson. The Qin Yan Zhai collection includes exceptional Wu Hufan artworks, along with many classical paintings and seals bearing his colophons.