ZHAO SHAO'ANG (1905-1998)
Birds and Kapok Flowers
Scroll, mounted and framed, ink and colour on paper
42.5 x 57 cm. (16 ³⁄₄ x 22 ¹⁄₂ in.)
Inscribed and signed, with three seals of the artist
Dated fourth month, jihai year (1959)
Dedicated to Yangshan (Prof. F. S. Drake)

NOTE:
The lot was a gift from the artist to Prof. Drake to celebrate his 72nd birthday and his retirement.
This lot is accompanied by an album titled Preface for the Birthday and Retirement Celebration of Professor Lin Yangshan by Professor Rao Zongyi (1917-2018).

Christie’s Hong Kong, Fine Chinese Modern Paintings, 29 May 2012, Lot 3150.

Professor Frederick Seguier Drake (1892-1976) was born in Shandong, China. From a distinguished English family, Drake was ordained minister as a young man and devoted himself to missionary work. Professor Drake was a traveller, and a scholar in Chinese and Divinity; as an archaeologist he travelled extensively within China and was Dean of the Faculty of Divinity at Qiliu (Cheeloo) University in Ji'nan, Shandong. After a brief return to his native England during the Chinese Civil War, Prof. Drake came to Hong Kong as Chair of Chinese at the University of Hong Kong and occupied the position for twelve years. Prof. Drake was widely respected by his students and within the academia. His most notable achievement included leading the archaeological excavation of the Lei Cheng UK Eastern Han Tomb in Hong Kong in the 1950s.
Presented here are two paintings by Zhao Shao'ang from the family collection of Professor Drake, both directly painted and gifted by the artist to Professor Drake and his wife Ms Yin Ye-wan, who was a student of Zhao Shao'ang in the 1950-1960s . Also included is a commemorative album personally inscribed by Professor Jao Tsung-i in 1964 to mark Professor Drake's retirement, which is offered together with Zhao Shao'ang's work (Lot 29), adding further to its rarity and value.