Duanwu Flower in a Guan VaseHanging scroll, ink and color on paper, signed Weichang, with one artist's seal Ren Xiong siyin , and two collectors' seals. 48 1/4 x 14in (122.5 x 35.5cm) 任熊 端陽圖 設色紙本 立軸Provenance/來源:Shanghai Duoyunxuan, 24 September 1995, lot 305上海朵雲軒，1995年9月24日，拍品編號305Published/出版:Toda, Teisuke and Hiromitsu Ogawa comp. Comprehensive Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Paintings, Third Series, Volume 1: American and Canadian Collections, University of Tokyo Press, 2013, A50-228, p. 221戶田禎佑、小川裕充，《中國繪畫總合圖錄》三編，第一卷，東京大學出版會，東京，2013年，A50-228，頁221The flower in the vase is alcea rosea, also known as hollyhock. The plant is native to Southwest China. Around the 15th century, it was imported to Europe. Beginning from June, hollyhock produces colorful flowers until late summer to early fall. Because its blooming season always starts around the same time as the Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu jie), the flower is also called Duanwu hua among Chinese speakers. When celebrating the festival, Chinese people would place the flowers in a vase at home in the old days. Ren Xiong shares this tradition with us in the current lot.