Five-character Calligraphic Couplet in Seal Script

YUAN KEWEN (1889-1931)
Five-character Calligraphic Couplet in Seal Script

A pair of hanging scrolls, ink on paper
Each scroll measures 120 x 30.5 cm. (47 ¼ x 12 in.)
Inscribed and signed, with two seals of the artist
Dedicated to Mengren
One collector's seal of Liang Hancao (1899-1975)

General Zhang Fakui (1896-1980), born in Guangdong province, was Second Lieutenant General in the Army of the Nationalist Party of China. He was an active participant during the Sino-Japanese war and had a prominent career in the army. He was successively appointed as Group Army Commander in Chief, Army Corp Commander in Chief and Military Region Commander in Chief. After the war, he was appointed a member of the Presidential Strategic Advisory Board. In March 1949, he became the Army Chief, but resigned in July and permanently moved to Hong Kong.

Although Zhang spent his life in the military, he saw the arts as an integral part of education and established schools to educate future generations. He also donated sets of important encyclopaedias to the National Library.

Works from this collection were sold in Christie’s Fine Chinese Modern Paintings sale in Hong Kong in 2012, 2014 and Spring 2018. Three works from the collection are also available in Christie’s Hong Kong Fine Chinese Modern Paintings sale on 26 November 2018. (Lots 1242-1244)