QI GONG (1912-2005)
Seven-character Poem in Running Script
Hanging scroll, ink on paper
118.4 x 33.1 cm. (46 ⁵⁄₈ x 13 in.)
Inscribed and signed, with three seals of the artist

This collection of paintings and calligraphy belongs to the descendants of Qi Rushan (1877–1962), the renowned Chinese playwright and scholar known for modernizing traditional Peking opera and serving as a key promoter of the legendary opera actor Mei Lanfang. Qi Rushan was an active figure in the arts circle and a close friend of the artist Qi Baishi, who frequently visited Qi Rushan’s courtyard house in Beijing.

Growing up in a cultured and educated household, Qi’s descendants also developed a deep appreciation for the arts. His daughter studied painting under Xu Beihong, while his granddaughter, He Baoshan, studied music and learned to paint under Feng Kanghou and Gu Qingyao. She later became a published author.