Zhan Gengxi (Chinese, B. 1941) "Two Black-necked Cranes Walking" Signed and stamped lower right. Original Watercolor painting on Rice Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the 29c Black-necked Crane stamp issued October 9, 1994. To the Chinese people, many varieties of birds are considered symbolic. The golden pheasant, for example, is associated with royalty, denoting glory, splendor, wealth and rank. The beautiful kingfisher, too, is fraught with symbolism. Its jade-colored feathers represent nobility and fortune. The crane is considered a meaningful bird in China as well. One writer comments that cranes are best known as symbols of longevity. Still others report that Chinese mythology describes the birds as emblems of justice. China's Black-necked Crane is also reputed to denote the ideas of friendship and peace. Those attributes are both no doubt partly responsible for the Black-necked crane being chosen as one of the two birds featured on stamps issued jointly by the United States and the People's Republic of China in 1994. The other bird is America's Whooping Crane. Both species of cranes are today considered rare. Though at one time naturalists could easily count thousands of Black-necked Cranes wintering in China's Y?nnan province, they have become noticeably fewer in number. Likewise the Whooping Crane, which once numbered in the thousands, has been reduced to a mere 100 or so individuals. Conservation efforts in both countries seek to preserve these striking birds for the future. Only time will tell if they will be successful. Image Size: 11.25 x 12.5 in. Sheet Size: 12.25 x 14.5 in. Overall Size: 16 x 20 in. Unframed. (B14740)