ZHANG JIAN (1852-1926)
Seven-character Calligraphic Couplet in Running Script
A pair of hanging scrolls, ink on paper
Each scroll measures 132.5 x 32 cm. (52 ¹⁄₈ x 12 ⁵⁄₈ in.)
Inscribed and signed, with one seal of the artist
Dedicated to Yanran

NOTE:
Zhang Jian, also known as Gui Zhi, and Se An, is native to Haimen, Jiangsu Province. Zhang was a zhuangyuan, the highest scoring scholar on the Imperial examination, during the Guangxu period. In the late Qing dynasty, he participated in implementing consitutional reforms. He is equally proficient in Regular, Clerical, Semi-cursive, and Cursive script, but is most known for his running-cursive script calligraphy.

Dr Kuo is a renowned ophthalmologist in Taiwan. He was born into a family of doctors in Chiayi, Taiwan. Dr Kuo also graduated from the Taipei Medical College and served as the Chief of Ophthalmology at the Taipei Renai Hospital. His father studied Chinese and specialised in calligraphy, influencing Kuo to take an interest in Chinese culture, history and art. While practising medicine, Kuo often learned at the National Palace Museum in Taipei and began collecting paintings and calligraphy by well-known artists and celebrities and ancient artefacts. Kuo managed to build an extensive private collection, which works from it was later passed down through the family.