A Chinese Scroll Painting By Qi Baishi 111 x 36cm

This lot is an exclusive private collection of Yakichiro Suma. Yakichiro Suma (1892-1970) was a Japanese diplomat and spy from Akita Prefecture. During his diplomatic posting in China, Suma utilized his special identity to cultivate relationships with Chinese painters. With a keen artistic eye and deep understanding of Chinese painting, Suma amassed a comprehensive collection of Chinese calligraphy and painting. His collection is primarily focused on contemporary Chinese calligraphy and painting, with a significant emphasis on works by Qi Baishi. In fact, Suma can be considered a Qi Baishi-centered collector, as his acquisitions laid the foundation for the contemporary Chinese paintings that he collected.