LI KUCHAN (1899-1983)
Sparrows and Bamboo
Scroll, mounted for framing, ink and colour on paper
69 x 34.5 cm. (27 ¹⁄₈ x 13 ⁵⁄₈ in.)
Inscribed and signed, with one seal of the artist
Dated summer, guichou year (1973)

Renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist Chen Jiandun was born in the early 20th century and moved from China to Singapore in his youth. While in Singapore, he developed a successful career and founded a business empire in property development, shipping and cement manufacturing in Singapore and Hong Kong. Mr Chen was known for his generosity and philanthropic activities towards his hometown in China, making frequent visits and donations for infrastructure building from the 1950s.

As a keen photographer, Mr Chen became friends with many Singaporean artists in the Chinese and Western traditions who opened his eyes to Chinese paintings. With a passion for Chinese art, Mr Chen assembled an impressive collection of Chinese ink paintings throughout his life, with a particular interest in Xu Beihong, a love shared by many of his fellow Southeast Asian collectors. During his visits to China in the 1970s, he met many Beijing artists, such as Huang Zhou, Li Kuchan and Wang Xuetao, from whom he acquired these paintings. Additional works from this collection will be offered in the Fine Chinese Modern and Contemporary Ink Paintings on 2 December 2022.