LI HUASHENG (1944-2018) Scholar Reading

LI HUASHENG (1944-2018)
Scholar Reading
Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper
68.5 x 68 cm. (27 x 26 3⁄4 in.)
Entitled, inscribed and signed, with one seal of the artist
Dated autumn, bingyin year (1986)
Titleslip by the artist, dated dingmao year (1987)

Provenance
This collection of paintings and calligraphy belongs to the descendants of Qi Rushan (1877–1962), the renowned Chinese playwright and scholar known for modernizing traditional Peking opera and serving as a key promoter of the legendary opera actor Mei Lanfang. Qi Rushan was an active figure in the arts circle and a close friend of the artist Qi Baishi, who frequently visited Qi Rushan’s courtyard house in Beijing.

Growing up in a cultured and educated household, Qi’s descendants also developed a deep appreciation for the arts. His daughter studied painting under Xu Beihong, while his granddaughter, He Baoshan, studied music and learned to paint under Feng Kanghou and Gu Qingyao. She later became a published author.