Sketch of Beauty

ZHANG DAQIAN (1899-1983)
Sketch of Beauty
Unmounted scroll, ink on paper
51 x 74.8 cm. (20 ¹⁄₈ x 29 ¹⁄₂ in.)
Inscribed and signed by the artist
Dated twenty-ninth day, sixth month, xinhai year (1971)
Further inscribed and signed by the artist, with four seals
Dated eleventh day, ninth month, xinyou year, seventy year (of the Republic, 1981)
Dedicated to Xinjia

NOTE: In this extraordinary sketch, the artist depicts an elegant lady and two scholars with simple brushstrokes, and what appears to be an outline of a bird with rhythmic dots. The amusing inscription reads: ‘June 29th, xinhai year (1971), today marks the second day I try out contact lenses’. He further inscribed it ten years later for Zhang Xinjia, noting that it was a litte 'ink play' - perhaps a reminder of a happy afternoon in the studio in Taiwan.