Flowers

ZHAO SHAO’ANG (1905-1998), YANG SHANSHEN (1913-2004), ZHANG SHAOSHI (1913-1991) AND SITU QI (1904-1997)
Flowers
Scroll, mounted and framed, ink and colour on paper
30.5 x 89.4 cm. (12 x 35 ¹⁄₄ in.)
Signed by the artists, with a total of four seals

NOTE:
A native of Kaiping, Guangdong, Situ Qi, styled as Cang Cheng, was a painter and philanthropist. He began his artistic training at the China University of Art, specializing in Western painting, and later joined the Spring Awakening Art Academy founded by Gao Jianfu (1879-1951), pioneer of the Lingnan School. While studying Chinese painting under Gao, Situ, along with Guan Shanyue (1912-2000) and Li Xiongcai (1910-2001), were collectively known as the “Three Friends of Spring Awakening”.

Kwong Shan-Siu (1909-1976), originally from Taishan, Guangdong province, was one of the best known figures in Cantonese opera and movies in the mid-20th century. Kwong began his career in 1932 and was one of the most prolific actors in Hong Kong before WWII, having performed in more than 120 movies in his life.
Kwong was dedicated in promoting cultural exchanges between Guangdong and Hong Kong. He became friends with many second generation Lingnan artists including Zhao Shao’ang and Yang Shanshen, whom gifted paintings to him. Many works were important collaborative paintings from the 1940s. Open-minded and generous, Kwong was very well-loved and respected in the arts community.