A watercolor and ink painting on paper by Gao Jianfu. The painting, which has three seals, depicts a pine bough. It is mounted on a silk backing with silk dowels. Dimensions are: 35 1/2 in. tall X 12 1/2 in. wide; 90.2 cm tall X 31.8 cm wide. All measurements are approximate. Condition: It is in good condition with minor creasing. Provenance: From the estate of Professor Hing Tong. Hing Tong (16 February 1922-4 March 2007) was a leading American mathematician. He is well known for providing the original proof of the Katetov-Tong insertion theorem. Born in Canton, China, Tong received bachelor's and doctoral degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University, respectively. Over the course of his academic career, Tong made many significant contributions to the area of algebraic topology, and also served as a professor at Columbia University, Princeton University, and chair of the Mathematics Department at Fordham University. He was listed among the Outstanding Educators of America in 1973. Tong retired from academia in 1984 to concentrate on research in theoretical physics. His contribution to the field is commemorated by a brick in the Paul Halmos Commemorative Walk at the Carriage House Conference Center of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) in Washington, DC, which reads: "Hing Tong, Topology and Physics". Concurrent to his mathematical investigations, Tong was a passionate collector of traditional Chinese paintings and calligraphy, which he acquired at Christie's and Sotheby's auction houses from the 1980s to the early 1990s. This lot was sold at Sotheby's New York on June 3, 1985 as Lot 120. To view additional photos, please see the following link: https://oag.smugmug.com/Sept-Asian-Session-2