(齊白石畫集 附書法 金石 詩文) Paintings by Chi Pai-Shih

(台灣) Taiwan: (文化藝術公司) Cultural Museum Agency, 1967. First edition. Softcover. g+. Large Folio (15 x 10 1/2"). (6) 190pp. Original illustrated stiff brown wrappers with black lettering on cover. Frontispiece portrait, hand-colored pochoir over offset reproduction. Early major monograph of the acclaimed Chinese artist Qi Baishi (1864-1957). Profusely illustrated with artwork typical for his mid career featuring flowers, insects, and birds. 9 pages (131-139) of calligraphic poems, and 22 pages (141-162pp.) of red seals are reproduced as lithographs, not offset printing. The work also contains 19 pages (163-181pp.) of Chi's, autobiography, poems, notes, personal diaries, letters, and articles he wrote, following with 9 pages (182-190pp.) of appendix, containing art reviews, biography and a letter from his daughter Chi Liang-lian.

Trained as a carpenter for ten years starting when he was eight he went on to become a cabinet maker, master carver, renowned great seal cutter, and fine artist. He is quoted to have said: "I learned finger-painting in my youth; landscape painting after 30; and specialized in flowers, insects and birds after 40."

Some of the offset reproductions in this book are covered with tipped-in on-lays of the same images with different density, the original print still viewable. Text in Chinese, captions and list of paintings in English. Wrappers are covered with a protective acetate cover which is moderately chipped and repaired with tape in some instances. Two red circular stickers, one on spine with the handwritten number 12 and the other blank in lower left corner of back cover. Small spot of ink on tissue guard and in margin 1 1/2" above portrait. On last page "of" penciled into margin. Book block moderately age-toned. Wrappers in overall good-, interior in good+ to very good condition.