XU CAO (1899-1961): THE BEAUTY XI SHI

Estimated Value:

1.500 € - 2.500 €

Result:

9.065 € incl. Premium and VAT

Description:

China, inscription dated 1941
105 x 42 cm
Ink and colors on paper, mounted and framed under glass. Xi Shi, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China, is standing with her basket by the river under a willow tree, where she washes her clothes. Titled: 'The Peerless Beauty from Zhuluo'. Signed: 'Painted on an autumn evening of the xinsi year (1941) by Shuanghong Kanzhu Yansun Xu Cao in Hanshui Tang'. Four artist's seals: 'Yansun', 'Xu Cao yin', 'Cheng Bei Xu Gong', 'Tianxia Xingxiong Wei Chuan Jun'.
Property from the estate of Dr. Erwin Eckert (1902-1994), assembled in China before 1949 - Minor wear, few creases
Xu Cao with courtesy name Yansun and nickname Shuanghonglouzhu came originally from Shen County in Hebei Province. He was born in Beijing in 1898. Since his childhood he was passionate about calligraphy and painting. He firstly studied with folk painters, then became a student of the court painter Guan Nianci and later followed Yu Ming, a painter of the Shanghai School who specialized in depictions of women. He is talented and skilled in painting, especially scenic representation of figures, e.g. ladies in antique costumes. He was an excellent master of Gongbi (fine brushwork), Xieyi (freehand brushwork), Baimiao (line drawing) and Zhongcai (strong colors) and was one of the elite painters in the 1930s and 1940s

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