Huang Zhou (Chinese)

A painting of four donkeys

Ink on paper

With an inscription and three seals to recto.

Dimensions with frame: H: 24, W: 29 in.; H: 60.96, W: 73.66 cm.Huang Zhou (1925-1997), formerly known as Liang Gantang, was a famous contemporary Chinese painter, known for his exceptional skill of painting donkeys. Huang Zhou dedicated decades to painting donkeys. His donkeys are realistic, vivid and distinguishable from each other. In this painting, Huang's smooth brush strokes enhance the four donkeys' adorable and natural appearances, while striking various postures.

Rong Bao Zhai Shanghai, December 2012, Lot 0397; Sotheby's, Hong Kong, October 2012, Lot 1164; Sotheby's, Hong Kong, October 2014, Lot 1431.

H: 18 1/2, W: 23 1/4 in. (painting)

H: 46.99, W: 59.06 cm. (painting)

Provenance: The recipient of this painting was Robert Liu, a Chinese-American journalist who was the Asia correspondent of the Associated Press from the 1970s to the 1980s. He served as the head of the Asia department of the Associated Press and stationed in Tokyo, Hong Kong, etc. The painting was gifted to Mr. Liu by Huang Zhou himself during Huang's visit to Hong Kong in the 1980s.

Condition: Minor spotting. Not observed outside of frame.

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黃冑 幼林上款四驢圖鏡框

款識：幼林先生正，乙丑年黃胄於抱海樓
鈐印：黃胄之印（白）；蠡縣梁氏（朱）；黃胄之鉨（白）
本畫作得自於畫家本人。
黃胄（1925-1997），原名梁淦堂，字映齋，著名當代中國畫大家，尤以擅長畫驢而廣爲人知。
黃胄畫驢數十載，其筆下的毛驢筆墨趣味獨特，造型熟稔，構圖豐富多變，形態組合生動多姿，寫實與筆墨意趣融爲一體。本幅作品中，四隻毛驢姿態各異， 造型準確，筆墨自由流暢，毛驢形象生動可愛，具有濃郁的生活氣息和情趣。


參閱榮寶齋2012年12月上海拍賣，編號0397；蘇富比拍賣2012年10月香港拍賣，編號1164； 2014年10月香港拍賣，編號1431。