Date: March 1962 (Inscribed as: 一九六二年三月).Location of Creation: West Lake, Hangzhou (Inscribed as: 写于西湖上 / "Painted at West Lake").Dedication: The painting features a formal dedication to a Western visitor/diplomat referred to as "Comrade Lofflin/Loflin" (Inscribed as: 洛夫林同志留正).Artist Context: The inscription indicates a stylistic and named connection to the Wu Changshuo (吴昌) school active around Hangzhou. The red artist seal at the bottom of the column reads "Wang" (王).Leisure Seal: A prominent red leisure seal (Idian) is located in the bottom-left corner, reading "Spirit/Vitality" (精神 - Jing Shen).
93cm × 58.5cm
Hello, this item is a Chinese ink-and-colour painting on paper depicting chrysanthemums and two birds, dated in the inscription to the third lunar month of 1962. The vertical inscription appears to indicate that it was painted at West Lake, Hangzhou, and includes a dedication to a foreign visitor or associate. The composition follows the expressive flower-and-bird tradition associated with the Shanghai and Zhejiang schools, using broad calligraphic brushwork, diluted ink washes, limited orange and green pigments, and a tall asymmetrical arrangement. The lower artist’s seal appears to include the surname Wang, while the larger leisure seal at the lower left may refer to spirit or vitality, although the precise artist and full seal readings cannot be confirmed from the photographs alone.
The sheet measures approximately 93 by 58.5 cm and shows extensive staining, scattered spotting, tide marks, creasing, and general surface discolouration. These issues substantially affect its value and would require assessment by a specialist in Chinese works on paper before any conservation treatment. The dated inscription and possible diplomatic dedication add historical interest, but no recognised artist attribution, exhibition history, documented provenance, or expert translation has been supplied. It should therefore be valued as an attractive mid-20th-century Chinese flower-and-bird painting associated with the Hangzhou tradition, rather than as a securely attributed work by a listed master.
Fair Market Value: $300 - $700 USD