ATTRIBUTED TO TANG YIN (MING/QING DYNASTY)

SERICULTURE

A Chinese painting, ink and colour on silk, inscribed and with a signature reading Tang Yin, with one illegible seal, framed and glazed, 150cm x 55cm.

Provenance: from the Fryers Collection of Chinese Art.

Dr Gordon Fryers (1922-2008) and Dr Rosemary Fryers (1922-1994) moved to Singapore in 1946 after they had both qualified as doctors, and their time there introduced them to Chinese art and culture. However, the Fryers did not start collecting seriously until the 1960s when Gordon's experiences on his many international business trips rightly led him to believe that China would one day play a crucial role in the world economy and that its art would subsequently become highly desirable. With this remarkable foresight in seeing Chinese art as an investment opportunity, Gordon and Rosemary gradually built up their collection over a fifteen-year period in the 1960s and 70s, buying from leading auction houses and dealers. Albeit a clever financial move, Gordon and Rosemary's collecting was by no means without passion, and they both developed a keen interest in the subject. Whilst Rosemary was drawn to ceramics and various works of art, Gordon favoured jades and marvelled at the outstanding craftsmanship behind these pieces.