A Pair of Rare and Important Chinese Famille Rose 'Figural' Panels, 1928

Provenance:
Acquired in Vancouver by a Private Collection, 1980s

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By descent to the present Private Collection, Montreal
Notes:
Each is finely painted with figures and landscapes in a famille rose palette. The first panel depicts a tranquil scene of "Zhu Li Jian Cha," brewing tea amidst the bamboo, with a finely dressed scholar standing gracefully beneath the lush bamboo, while a female attendant kneels on the ground, preparing the tea. Signed Yishan Qiaozi Wang Dafan and inscribed with the title. The other panel features the tale of "Xi Shan Kua Hu," with the Daoist immortal Wu Cailuan and her husband moving ethereally through a mountainous landscape on the backs of tigers, journeying into the realm of immortality. Signed Yishan Dafan Wang Kun, dated to the fifth month of the wuchen cyclical year (1928), with the title inscribed. Each panel has a red artist seal, "Wang Kun hua yin" and "Kun."

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Wang Dafan was a master porcelain painter and founding member of the Zhushan Bayou (Eight Friends of Zhushan), a group of Jingdezhen artists who led the influential reinterpretation and reinvigoration of famille rose porcelain painting during the Republican Period (1911–1949). Alongside fellow artists Wang Qi (1884–1937) and Wang Yeting (1884–1942), these avant-garde porcelain artists emphasized expressiveness in their works, incorporating the literati style of painting into China’s long history of porcelain design.

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Among the Eight Friends, Wang Dafan was notable for his refined figural paintings shaped by his studies under the genre’s master, Wang Xiaotang (1885–1924). The present panels, painted in 1928 as the group were just beginning their activities, represent the pinnacle of his oeuvre. Brought to life with soft brushstrokes and meticulous detailing, the figures are rendered with gentle shading throughout their flowing gowns and solemn faces, accompanied by calligraphic signature and inscriptions reminiscent of the traditional literati paintings on paper.

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One panel features literati refinement through an authentic method of tea brewing, while the other embraces Daoist transcendence through historical allusion. Together, they embody the intellectual and spiritual ideals of the time. Wang Dafan’s decision to depict both figures in "Xi Shan Kua Hu," a subject often centered around the female immortal, not only reflects his confident mastery of figural painting, but also introduces a rare harmony into the composition. Artistically, culturally, and historically, these two works represent the height of literati porcelain painting during the mid-Republican Period. Please note: The dimensions listed are for each porcelain panel. The frames of the panels measure 40 x 10 1/8 inches each.