Dimensions: 112 cm x 32 cm

A pair of vertical hanging scrolls executed in bold black ink on paper, signed by Tao Lengyue (1895–1985), an accomplished painter and calligrapher from Suzhou, Jiangsu province. The calligraphy is written in a fluid, confident hand, combining vigorous brushstrokes with balanced spacing. The inscriptions, dated 1937, were created during the turmoil of the Sino-Japanese War and include a dedication, suggesting that the work was intended as a gesture of encouragement and a wish for longevity.

Tao Lengyue was renowned for his flower-and-bird paintings as well as for landscapes and calligraphy. His works often carried auspicious meaning, and this pair of scrolls, composed at a moment of national crisis, may have been conceived as prayers for resilience and endurance. Hanging scrolls such as these were displayed in scholars’ studios or private halls, where the elegance of brushwork conveyed both aesthetic refinement and moral strength.