Description A group of four Chinese leaf album paintings mounted on silk backings. The lot contains: a watercolor and ink painting on silk of a pink flower with an inscription and five seals; a watercolor and ink painting on paper of a landscape with an inscription and two seals; a watercolor and ink painting on paper of fruits and vegetables; and a watercolor and ink painting on paper of a lotus with two inscriptions and two seals. Dimensions are: the largest painting of the pink flower measures 12 3/4 inches tall X 15 1/2 inches wide, 32.4 cm X 39.4 cm. All measurements are approximate.
High resolution images can be found here
Condition Report The painting of the pink flower has significant staining and repairs throughout. The paintings of the fruit and of the lotus have very minor spotting. The painting of the landscape is in good condition.
Provenance From the collection of Mr. William Wu, San Francisco, USA. William Wu (1939-2007) was born in Shanghai and moved to Hong Kong with his family when he was young. In 1957, he was admitted to the Department of Philosophy at Princeton University. Because of his interest in history, in 1979 he received a doctorate in art history from Princeton University focusing on the Chinese artist Gong Xian. After graduation, he was successively employed as a professor of art history at Dartmouth, Oberlin, and other colleges. He later settled in San Francisco, California, where he presided over the Chinese Cultural Center, held regular cultural exhibitions, and devoted himself to introducing Chinese culture and artists to Western audiences. During the 1980s, he traveled between San Francisco and Shanghai and became an important bridge for cultural and artistic exchanges. Professor William Wu and the famous movie star Jet Li are distant relatives, and he was a great help in the early years of Jet Li's career development. Mr. Wu maintained contact with Jet Li throughout his life.