Sketch of Beauty

ZHANG DAQIAN (1899-1983) Sketch of Beauty Unmounted scroll, ink on paper 51 x 74.8 cm. (20 1/8 x 29 ½ in.) Inscribed and signed by the artist Dated twenty-ninth day, sixth month, xinhai year (1971) Further inscribed and signed by the artist, with four seals Dated eleventh day, ninth month, xinyou year, seventy year (of the Republic, 1981) Dedicated to Xinjia NOTE: In this extraordinary sketch, the artist depicts an elegant lady and two scholars with simple brushstrokes, and what appears to be an outline of a bird with rhythmic dots. The amusing inscription reads: ‘June 29th, xinhai year (1971), today marks the second day I try out contact lenses’. He further inscribed it ten years later for Zhang Xinjia, noting that it was a litte 'ink play' - perhaps a reminder of a happy afternoon in the studio in Taiwan.