A Chinese watercolor and ink painting on paper of a grasshopper and flowers by Qi Baishi. It has an inscription and two seals, and it is mounted on a silk backing with wooden dowels. Dimensions are: 27 inches tall X 13 3/4 inches wide, 68.6 cm X 34.9 cm. All measurements are approximate. Condition: Creasing and staining present. A reminder that all lots are sold as-is. We have sought to record the changes in the condition of this piece after its initial manufacture as diligently as possible; however, as stated in our terms, condition reports are statements of opinion and not representations or warranties. Oakridge Auction Gallery bears no responsibility for any error or omission. Provenance: The lot comes with a copy of provenance documentation. From the estate of General Ye Peigao (1903-1987). General Ye was a well-known commander in China's fight against Japanese invaders during World War II. He participated in many important battles throughout the war. The lots from this collection are being offered by his direct descendant. Notes: Qi Baishi (1864-1957) was an artist who was born to a poor peasant family. A sickly child, he had little schooling and supported himself as a carpenter, only becoming an artist full-time at the age of forty. He taught himself to paint from a Qin dynasty instructional manual, and finally created his own distinctive style at the ripe age of 57. He is now regarded as an innovator who created a unique style that captures the life and vivacity of his subjects.Qi Baishi preferred painting small natural subjects, capturing the little details of buds and bugs, and this painting is no different. With large, looping brush strokes, Qi Baishi has captured the shape of the blooming and budding morning glories. Beneath them perches a lone grasshopper, shielding itself from the elements under large layers of thick leaves. It is rendered in painstaking detail, with each hair on its hind legs painted in short strokes and each segment of its abdomen carefully delineated. This painting is the quintessential example of the smaller beauties in nature, captured by the master himself, Qi Baishi. 款識：借山老人齊白石八十六歲之老手作 鈐印：白石（朱） 有情者必工愁（朱） 齊白石（1864年1月1日—1957年9月16日），原名齊純芝，字渭清，祖父取號蘭亭，老師取名齊璜，字瀕生，別號寄萍老人、白石山人，湖南湘潭人，近代中國國畫畫家。後人常將「山人」二字略去，故後常號「白石」。齊白石也和張大千並稱「南張北齊」。 齊白石畫牽牛花，始自1920年結識梅蘭芳，據其自述：「他家裏種了不少的花木，有許多是外間不經見的。光是牽牛花就有百來種樣式，有的開著碗般大的花朵，真是見所未見，從此我也畫上了此花。」齊白石畫牽牛花，對其形態、色彩等多有琢磨，筆法亦幾經變化，至40年代初期形成獨特的風格，40年代後期，則在延續這一風格的基礎上更趨成熟。畫家以紅色畫花，以濃淡不一的濕墨畫葉片，以幹澀而飄逸的枯墨畫藤蔓，寥寥數筆，便得其神韻。畫面疏密有度，穿插有致，牽牛花的鮮艷奪目，墨葉的聚散變化，藤蔓的相互纏繞，各具姿彩，又和 諧共處，紅花墨葉交相輝映，層次分明，又以寫實的手法於右下角花了一只紅色的蟈蟈，其觸須、肢節、腿毫俱纖微畢見，細致逼肖，栩栩如生。此幅布局看似簡單，卻甚為巧妙，向上端取勢的花朵而右下側的蟈蟈又平衡了畫面的傾斜感。牽牛花即成為齊白石筆下經常的審美對象，此審美對象與白石的紅花墨葉畫法一結合，便生出無限審美情趣。 Similar paintings by Qi Baishi have previously sold at Christie's Hong Kong on November 25, 2013, as lot 1375, as well as at Sotheby's Hong Kong on April 4, 2013, as lot 1335 and on April 1, 2018, as lot 1214. 類似作品可參閱佳士得香港2013年11月拍賣，編號1375；蘇富比香港2018年04月拍賣，編號1214；蘇富比香港2013年04月拍賣，編號1335。 High resolution photos can be found here.