DING YANYONG (CHINA, 1902-1978)
SHRIMPS
Hanging scroll, ink on paper
35 5/8 x 19 1/8 in. (90.5 x 48.5 cm.)
Inscribed and signed, with one seal of the artist
Dedicated to Madame Anni (Margaret Anne Chang)
Dated summer, bingchen year (1976)

PROVENANCE
From the collection of Ms. Margaret Anne Chang
Margaret Anne Chang (1920-2009) was born and raised in Hong Kong before moving to the United States at the age of 25. When she was 40, she began to learn Chinese paintings and took lessons from Ding Yanyong in the summer of 1976 during her trip back to Hong Kong with her sister. It was also at this time that she acquired Ding's paintings, many of which are dedicated to her and have been with the family for over 30 years.

SPECIALIST’S NOTES
Ding Yanyong’s ink paintings are known for a spontaneous, unassuming expression and his whimsical depictions of flowers, birds and insects, of which Shrimps is a fine example. The lines the artist uses to sketch out the subjects flow freely, deftly executed at a fast pace yet not rushed. With a few confident strokes and dots, Ding portrays his aquatic subjects playfully, often with rolled-up eyes, displaying humour and wit that made him a prominent figure in the history of Chinese painting in the twentieth century.