A CHINESE FLOWER AND BIRD PAINTING, INK AND COLOR ON PAPER, HANGING SCROLL, QI BAISHI MARK
96*35cm,

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Mei Lanfang and Qi Baishi started their friendship in 1912 and maintained it throughout their later years. Mei deeply respected Qi; whenever Qi attended Mei's opera performances, Mei would personally escort him to the front row seats. In the 1920s, Qi often visited Mei's Zhuoyu Pavilion to teach him painting, starting with insects, fish, and shrimp, and even created reference albums for Mei. Mei, interested in cultivating morning glories for their vivid colors and variety, which were beneficial for costume design in theater, frequently visited Qi's home to admire these flowers, sparking interest among friends to study and cultivate them together. Qi also visited Mei's residence to enjoy the flowers and later painted a "Morning Glory" picture for Mei, complete with an inscription detailing this elegant pastime.