'JOYFUL FISH' BY LI KUCHAN (1899-1983) China. Ink on paper. Depicting a larger and two smaller fish swimming underwater, with some grass on the left lower corner, superbly painted in the artist's characteristic bold and spontaneous style.

Inscriptions: To the top right 'Yu le tu' ('Joyful fish', but also a homonym for 'Amusement'), signed 'Kuchan', one seal 'Ling Ying zhiyin'.

Provenance: British trade.
Condition: Very good condition with some wear, foxing and very little creasing.

Dimensions: Size 63.7 x 44.7 cm

Li Kuchan (1899-1983) was a renowned Chinese painter, calligrapher, and art educator who specialized in free-stroke brush paintings. Li was born in Gaotang, Shandong, into a poor family and had to take up hard labor in order to pay for art school in Beijing. In 1923, he began to study under Qi Baishi (1864-1957) and was considered his best student. Later, Li began to work as an art teacher, and taught at the Central Academy of Fine Arts from 1950 until his death in 1983. He specialized in bird-and-flower paintings using the free and spontaneous 'xieyi' style (freehand brushwork used in traditional Chinese painting).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's Hong Kong, 2 June 2015, lot 1340
Price: HKD 325,000 or approx. EUR 47,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Li Kuchan (1898-1984) Two Fishes
Expert remark: Compare the related motif and technique. Note the different size (137.3 x 36.3 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Hong Kong, 30 May 2017, lot 1443
Price: HKD 150,000 or approx. EUR 20,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Li Kuchan (1899-1983) Fish
Expert remark: Compare the closely related motif and technique. Note the similar size (62 x 46 cm) and that this lot comprises two paintings.


李苦禪款《魚樂圖》
中國，紙本設色。以藝術家特有的大寫意風格描繪一條大魚帶著兩條小魚水中嬉戲，水草搖曳。

款識：魚樂圖，苦禪
鈴印：李英之印

來源：英國古玩市場。
品相：狀況極好，有一些磨損、褐變和輕微摺痕。

尺寸：63.7 x 44.7 厘米

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2015年6月2日，lot 1340
價格：HKD 325,000（相當於今日EUR 47,000 ）
描述：李苦禪《雙魚》
專家評論：比較相近的主題和技術。請注意尺寸不同 (137.3 x 36.3 厘米)。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2017年5月30日，lot 1443
價格：HKD 150,000（相當於今日EUR 20,500 ）
描述：李苦禪《魚戲》
專家評論：比較非常相近的主題和技術。請注意尺寸不同 (62 x 46 厘米) ，以及此圖組有兩幅畫。