Watercolor from TS, need help with id and possible value

[rubytuesday]

Hello all, a long time since I've posted, been looking after my daughter who was badly injured in a motor vehicle accident. She has now recovered and returned to normal life while i still need to get my head sorted over it . My "therapy" has been hitting the Thrift Stores near where i live here and i came across this water colour which i like and will be quite happy to hang on my wall if it is of no monetary value. I am not familiar with the signature on the actual painting and on the back is written "Fishermen" - Margaret Chang. It would be a great help if the painting was of some value as I had to give up my job to be with my daughter while she was in the ICU and Rehabilitation Unit (4 hours from home).

Thanks in advance, Rubytuesday

 

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[diggummup]

Sorry to hear about your daughter. I'm glad she has fully recovered. As for the painting, I can't find a Margaret Chang listed here or Australia.

 

[rubytuesday]

Thanks for the input Diggumup. One thing that puzzles me is that the signature on the painting is different to the person it's attributed to on the back. I am attaching a blown up picture of the signature on the painting and hoping that someone may be able to id it. Thanks again, Rubytuesday

 

[gord]

Painting signature looks like M.C. to me. Margaret Chang appears in a search as an American book illustrator, and as the chinese artist of a collection at the University Of Chicago.

 

[rubytuesday]

Thanks gord, now that i look at it I'm sure your right.

 

[diggummup]

Painting signature looks like M.C. to me. Margaret Chang appears in a search as an American book illustrator, and as the chinese artist of a collection at the University Of Chicago.

I found a Margaret Chang and her husband I believe that were listed as book authors here in America but I didn't find where she is listed as a Chinese artist. You think it's the same Margaret Chang?

 

[rubytuesday]

Thanks Diggummup, very possible. I have been doing a bit more research today and found a reference to an artist who goes by the name of Hung Hsien, Margaret Chang. Born in 1933 she was part of the Taiwanese Fifth Moon Painting Society. In 1958 she moved to the US and studied in Northwestern University Ill. She then taught and worked in Hong Kong from '78 -'84. Then she moved from Hong Kong and settled in Houston USA and is now a professional painter, mainly semiabstractist landscapes. The trouble is I can't find any examples of her style of work to compare with what I have. Any suggestions?

 

[billn1956]

Write her a letter or e-mail inclued a copy of the painting see if she rembers it.Be sure to keep her response so that you have it to prove she painted it. Good Luck ,I like it to.

 

[diggummup]

I found a photo of her standing in front of one of her abstracts in 1971. If this is one of her paintings then it would obviously not be one of her usual painting styles. Here is a photo of her (no cut&paste) and her painting behind her- Portrait of Artist with Painting, Installation View - The Renaissance Society Archive

from this page- Browse All : Images of Chinese from Twentieth century - University of Chicago

and a photo of the entire painting-

Chinese Painting at Mid-Century, Installation View - The Renaissance Society Archive

She would be 81 years old today. It's possible she's still alive. I'm trying to find out.

 

[rubytuesday]

Thank you diggummup, gord and bill, for all your suggestions and help. I feel like I'm on a bit of an adventure trying to find out about this painting and the artist. If it turns out not to be worth anything money wise I will still have the pleasure of looking at it, it's such a calm and peaceful picture.

 

[billn1956]

Fishing is good for the soul if there biting or not.

 

[blindbug]

Saw this: Art and Artists of Twentieth-century China - Michael Sullivan, Franklin D. Murphy - Google Books which mentions her as a 'semiabstract landscapist'.

Additionally, this: Modern Chinese Artists: A Biographical Dictionary - Michael Sullivan - Google Books says that she studied oil painting under Liao Jichun, which if you look up his paintings, they look eerily similar to what you have above: https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/15717/lot/46/ It would make sense that she would take on the style of her master...


Additionally, you might look under the name 'Hung Hsien' or 'Hong Xian". I see a few references to that name and when I search it, I come across some interesting results... no real pictures of her landscapes though:
http://taiwanreview.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=114737&CtNode=1234
http://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/2181775

 

[rubytuesday]

Thanks blindbug, those links have given me more possible leads. I think I'm going to head to the local art gallery on Monday and have a chat with the curator. The gallery may have more information in reference books that i don't have access to.
Thanks again everyone
Rubytuesday