‘BEAUTY IN A GARDEN, WEARING A TIAN-TSUI TIARA’, ZHENG MUKANG (1901-1982), DATED 1941China. Ink and watercolors on paper, with a silk brocade frame and mounted as a hanging scroll. Depicting a lady strolling in a garden, framed by a prunus tree and rockwork issuing bamboo, dressed in fine robes tied at the waist and adorned with a blue, flowing scarf. Her hair tied in a high coiffure, wearing a kingfisher feather (Tian-Tsui) tiara.Inscriptions: Top left, dated ‘Three days before the winter solstice in the Year of Xingsi’ (corresponding to 1941), signed ‘Mukang Zheng Shixuan’. Two seals ‘Zheng Mukang yin’ and ‘Mukang Shuhua’. Provenance: From a European private collection. Condition: Good condition with some wear, creasing, and little staining.Dimensions: Image size 66.7 x 42.5 cm, Size incl. mounting 171.5 x 56.5 cmZheng Mukang (1901-1982) was a Chinese painter born in Chaoyang, Guangdong Province. He was an apprentice to several notable artists before becoming a teacher of Chinese Painting at the Shanghai Art School. He is well-known for his gongbi (meticulous) style renditions of Chinese beauties.Tian-Tsui is a style of Chinese art featuring kingfisher feathers. For 2,000 years, the Chinese have been using the iridescent blue feathers of kingfisher birds as an inlay for fine art objects and adornment, from hairpins, headdresses, and fans to panels and screens. Kingfisher feathers are painstakingly cut and glued onto gilt silver. The effect is like cloisonné, but no enamel was able to rival the electric blue color. Blue is the traditional favorite color in China. Auction result comparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 May 2018, lot 1466Price: HKD 75,000 or approx. EUR 9,700 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: Zheng Mukang (1901-1982), Lady ReadingExpert remark: Compare the related motif, also wearing a Tian-Tsui tiara, the composition, and fine brushwork. Note the size (98 x 42.8 cm).Auction result comparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Bonhams San Francisco, 10 December 2012, lot 5323Price: USD 12,500 or approx. EUR 15,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: Zheng Mukang (1901-1982), Beauty Under a WillowExpert remark: Compare the related motif, also wearing a Tian-Tsui tiara, the composition, and size (68 x 35.6 cm).鄭慕康(1901-1982)《紅衣仕女圖》1941年中國，紙本水墨設色，掛軸。一位美人在花園中漫步，身側有一棵桃樹與假山綠竹。她穿著精美的長裙，梳高髻，佩戴點翠髮飾。 款識：辛巳冬至前三日寫，慕康鄭師玄；鈴印：鄭慕康印，慕康書畫 來源：歐洲私人收藏。 品相：狀況良好，有一些磨損、摺痕和少量污漬。 尺寸：畫面66.7 x 42.5 厘米，總171.5 x 56.5 厘米 鄭慕康(1901-1982) 廣東潮陽人，學畫師從馮超然。精工筆人物，擅作仕女肖像。曾任上海美專國畫教師、上海中國畫院畫師，海上名畫家之一。 拍賣結果比較： 形制：相近 拍賣：香港佳士得，2018年5月29日，lot 1466 價格：HKD 75,000（相當於今日EUR 9,700） 描述：鄭慕康《庭院閑讀》 專家評論：比較相近的主題、也佩戴點翠髮飾、構圖和精細的筆觸。請注意尺寸(98 x 42.8 厘米)。 拍賣結果比較： 形制：相近 拍賣：舊金山邦瀚斯，2012年12月10日，lot 5323 價格：USD 12,500（相當於今日EUR 15,000） 描述：鄭慕康《柳下美人》 專家評論：比較相近比較相近的主題、也佩戴點翠髮飾、構圖和尺寸 (68 x 35.6 厘米)。