QI BAISHI (1862-1957) Taro, 1921QI BAISHI (1862-1957)Taro, 1921Ink and color on paper, mounted, framed and glazed, inscribed by the artist and dated xinyou, and signed Baishi, and a seal reading Zhi.9 1/8 x 12 1/4in (23.2 x 31cm)齊白石（1862-1957） 芋頭 設色紙本 鏡框 一九二一年作款識：煨芋非牛糞，石沉才生香。辛酉冬十月，南北徃還第十次，白石。鈐印：芝Qi Baishi found success as an artist by depicting everyday, common objects with bold and expressive brushwork. Through his animated ink lines, the artist endowed his subjects with a charm. This depiction of a taro root was created in 1921, when the artist nearing 60 years old, but it is considered an early work in the artist's oeuvre, in light of his fruitfully productive later decades. Using a masterful mix of wet and dry brush, the artist confidently captures the form and dimension of the root vegetable, fresh from the ground, its rootlets still fresh with energy. Although consumed as an inexpensive staple, Ming dynasty artists would also paint the taro, a reflection of the simple habits of a cultured gentleman.