Magpies and Persimmons, 1941 Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper, inscribed and signed with four seals of the artist. 131cm (51 1/2in) long x 67.5cm (26 1/2in) wide.
The inscription on the painting reads: 唐鴻涉事，非闇題，辛巳初冬。
Which could be translated as: 'Tang Hong was involved. Inscribed by Fei'an. Early winter of the Xinsi year.'
From the inscription, we can infer that this work is a collaboration between Yu Fei'an and Tang Hong, with the inscription personally executed by Yu Fei'an.
Yu Fei'an 于非闇 (1889–1959) was a renowned Chinese artist and scholar, celebrated for his meticulous gongbi (fine-brush) painting, particularly of flowers and birds. Born in Beijing, he studied at Beijing Normal College before working as an art editor at the Beijing Morning Post. In 1935, Yu joined the Palace Museum, where he had the opportunity to study and copy masterpieces from the Imperial collection. This immersion in classical art profoundly shaped his technique, allowing him to refine his distinctive, elegant style. After 1949, he became a researcher at the National Art Research Institute and later rose to the position of vice-president of the Beijing Fine Art Academy. Throughout his career, Yu Fei'an played a significant role in preserving and revitalising traditional Chinese painting, leaving a lasting impact on modern gongbi artistry.
Tang Hong 唐鴻 (1926-2018), born in Beijing, was a painter and collector. From a young age, he studied painting within his family tradition. In 1937, he became a disciple of Yu Fei'an, learning Slim Gold Script calligraphy and the Song Imperial Academy style of bird-and-flower painting. Later, he studied under Zhang Daqian. After moving to Hong Kong in the early 1960s, he held multiple solo exhibitions and founded the 'Sanchuan Painting Society' (三川畫會) to cultivate young talents. In 1995, he relocated to the United States.
See a related painting by Yu Fei'an of magpies, pheasant and flower, which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 1 June 2021, lot 854.
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