'SCHOLAR UNDER PINE TREE', BY ZHANG DAQIAN (1899-1983) AND PU RU (1896-1963), DATED 1946 China. Ink and watercolors on paper, mounted as a hanging scroll. Depicting a scholar dressed in a long flowing robe, his head covered by a cowl and turned towards the towering, gnarled pine tree, holding a wood cane in his left.

Expert's note: Zhang Daqian and Pu Ru are well known for their collaborative paintings. They were good friends and their seemingly disparate styles complemented each other very well, as evidenced by this superb painting. Together they created several scroll paintings as well as fan paintings. While the tree is clearly painted by Pu Ru in his characteristic style, the scholar undoubtedly is by Zhang Daqian, a subject the master painted many times during his long-lasting career, always displaying his brilliant technical abilities to their full extent. Zhang Daqian often lamented that while it is easy to paint fair ladies, it is difficult to portray great man. Zhang saw depicting a gentleman scholar as most challenging - the figure had to be without bitterness, without coarseness, without effeminacy, and instead be poised and carefree, like the great historical figures of bygone times.

Inscriptions: Upper left, signed 'Shuren Zhang Daqian', and two seals, 'Zhang Yuan' and 'Daqian'. Center right, signed, 'Xishan Yishi Pu Ru', inscribed and signed, 'dedicated to Mr. Zhuming, made by Zhang Daqian', dated, 'on an autumn day in the year of Bingxu (corresponding to 1946)', and two seals, 'Pu Ru Zhi Yin' and 'Xinshe'.

Provenance: From a noted private collector.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and minimal soiling, the mounting with little creasing.

Dimensions: Image size 78 x 48.5 cm, Size incl. mounting 200.5 x 60.2 cm

Pu Ru (1896-1963), also known as Pu Xinshe, was a traditional Chinese painter, calligrapher, and nobleman. A member of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, the ruling house of the Qing dynasty, he was a cousin to Puyi, the last Emperor of China. It was speculated that Pu Ru would have succeeded to the Chinese throne if Puyi and the Qing government were not overthrown after the 1911 Xinhai Revolution. Pu Ru was reputed to be as talented as the famous southern artist Zhang Daqian. Together, they became known as 'Pu of the North and Zhang of the South'. Pu Ru fled to Taiwan after the Communist Party of China came to power, and was appointed by Chiang Kai-shek as a Manchu representative at the Constitutional National Assembly. In Taiwan, he made a living selling paintings and calligraphy, and taught as a professor of fine arts at the National Taiwan Normal University.

Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) was one of the best-known and most prodigious Chinese artists of the twentieth century. Originally known as a guohua (traditionalist) painter, by the 1960s he was also renowned as a modern impressionist and expressionist painter. In addition, he is regarded as one of the most gifted master forgers of the twentieth century. After the Communist Revolution in 1949, he left China and spent years living in South and North America, extensively touring Northern California. Chang's first California solo exhibition in 1967 at Stanford University attracted an opening reception crowd of a thousand. Finally, he settled in Taipei, Taiwan in 1978. During his years of wandering, he had several wives simultaneously, curried favor with influential people, and maintained a large entourage of relatives and supporters. He also kept a pet gibbon. He affected the long robe and long beard of a traditional Chinese scholar.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Hong Kong, 30 May 2016, lot 1260
Price: HKD 875,000 or approx. EUR 118,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) and Pu Ru (1896-1963), Scholar and Pine
Expert remark: Compare the closely related composition, the layers and folds of the robe, and use of color. Note the size (108 x 67.5 cm)

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: China Guardian Auctions, Beijing, 15 August 2020, lot 198
Price: CNY 1,058,000 or approx. EUR 154,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) and Pu Ru (1896-1963), Hermit under pine
Expert remark: Compare the closely related composition, use of colors, and pose of the scholar. Note the size (95.7 x 50 cm).


1946年張大千及溥儒款《松下高士》
中國，紙本設色，掛軸。描繪一位身著飄逸長袍的文士，向后轉向一棵參天松樹，左手拄著一根木杖。

專家注釋：張大千和溥儒曾是好友，經常合作作畫，看似截然不同的風格卻相得益彰。這幅《松下高士》就證明瞭這一點。溥儒畫的那棵松樹，而文士無疑是張大千的作品。這位大師在漫長的繪畫生涯中多次畫做過類似的題材，始終將他精湛的技藝展現得淋漓盡致。張大千常感嘆，畫淑女容易，畫偉人難。 他描繪君子文人是最有挑戰性的——人物必須沒有苦澀、沒有粗俗，而是像過去的偉大歷史人物一樣沉著。

款識：蜀人張大千爰；竹銘先生屬張大千作此高士為補之，丙戌秋日西山逸士溥儒並記
鈴印：張爰，大千；溥儒之印，心畲

來源：知名私人收藏。
品相：狀況極好，小磨損，少量髒污，幾乎沒有摺痕。

尺寸：畫面 78 x 48.5 厘米, 總 200.5 x 60.2 厘米

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2016年5月30日，lot 1260
價格：HKD 875,000（相當於今日EUR 118,000）
描述：張大千(1899-1983)及溥儒(1896-1963)款《松下文士》
專家評論：比較非常相近的構圖、袍子的層次和褶皺，以及色彩的使用。注意尺寸 (108 x 67.5 厘米) 。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：中國嘉德，北京，2020年8月15日，lot 198
價格：CNY 1,058,000（相當於今日EUR 154,500）
描述：張大千(1899-1983)及溥儒(1896-1963)《松下高士》
專家評論：比較非常相近的構圖、用色和畫中高士的姿態。注意尺寸 (95.7 x 50 厘米)。