‘PAIR OF DOVES’ BY ZHANG CHONG (c. 1628-1652) Ink and watercolors on silk. Finely painted in the court style of the Song dynasty with two doves on the ground in front of a craggy rock with flowers and leaves. The Chinese association of dove pairs is with fidelity, as this bird pairs for life. Doves are also revered for taking great care of their young.

Inscriptions: Upper left, signed ‘Zhang Chong’, dated to a spring month in the Year of Xinchou, painted in Chuixiang studio. Three seals, ‘Zhang Chong’ and ‘Chong’, the third illegible.

Provenance: A private collector in New York, USA, and thence by descent within the same family. Old paper label to backside with inscription in ink: “No 25. Period: Ming 1368-1644. Subject: A pair of pigeons. Artist: Zhang Choung.”
Condition: Good original condition with some wear, faded stains, soiling, foxing, minimal creases, possibly slightly trimmed.

Dimensions: Size incl. frame 32.4 x 35.4 cm, Image size 26.8 x 30.2 cm. Framed and matted behind glass.

Auction result comparison: Compare with a hanging scroll painted by the same artist, though of much larger size, at Christie’s Hong Kong in Fine Chinese Classical Paintings and Calligraphy on 28 May 2012, lot 2747, sold for HKD 250,000, and another at Christie’s Hong Kong in Fine Chinese Classical Paintings and Calligraphy on 30 November 2015, lot 877, sold for HKD 475,000.

張翀(約1628-1652)《白鴿》
絹本設色。宋代宮廷畫院風格，岩石邊一對白鴿，後面可見小草和野花。按照中國説法，鴿子是是忠實的象徵，因為鴿子終生都會配對，而且會照顧幼鴿。

款識：左上角“辛丑春月 寫於吹香舘 張翀”；鈴印：張翀，翀

來源：紐約私人收藏，自此保存於同一家族。背面有舊紙標簽，用水墨書寫 “No 25. Period: Ming 1368-1644. Subject: A pair of pigeons. Artist: Zhang Choung.”
品相：良好的原始狀態，帶有一些磨損，褪色，污漬，起皺，極少摺痕，可能會略微修剪。

尺寸：縂32.4 x 35.4 厘米, 畫面26.8 x 30.2 厘米。玻璃裝框。

拍賣結果比較：一件同一畫家的立軸，尺寸更大，見香港佳士得 Fine Chinese Classical Paintings and Calligraphy 拍場2012年5月28日 lot 2747, 售價HKD 250,000, ；另一幅見香港佳士得Fine Chinese Classical Paintings and Calligraphy 拍場2015年11月30日lot 877, 售價HKD 475,000.