QI BAISHI (1863-1957)

Mr. Tanso Ito worked for the Yokohama Specie Bank in Beijing and Dalian in the 1920's-30's. He chanced upon meeting Qi Baishi and became good friends and a collector of his work. This was a particularly special friendship, given the political and social climate between China and Japan at the time. He introduced many of his good friends to Qi, including Mr. Sotokichi Katsuizumi (1889-1985), whose collection of paintings we sold in our Hong Kong saleroom last season. One of the letters in the present lot describes Mr. Ito and Qi's exchanges on the drawing of a cow, coincidentally also offered in our current sale, Lot. 2207.