LIU KUILING (1885-1967)

HUNTING ON HORSEBACK

A Chinese painting, ink and colour on paper, dated wuzi year (corresponding to 1948), signed Liu Kuiling with one artist's seal, 71cm x 91cm.

Provenance: the Reverend Victor Farmer (1898-1977) and thence by descent.

The Reverend Victor Farmer (1898-1977)

The Farmer Collection was begun in the late 19th century by William Farmer, who moved to Hong Kong, and became manager of the Peak Hotel in 1888 and later built and managed the Victoria Hotel. The collection was continued, expanded and brought to the UK by his son, Victor Farmer, who served in the First World War as a subaltern in the Suffolk Regiment. Victor joined Brunner Mondlate ICI in 1921 and married in 1925, moving to Canton and subsequently to Harbin, and eventually settling in Tianjin. When he became the chairman of Brunner Mondlate ICI, he and his family moved to Shanghai.

After the formation of the People's Republic of China, the Farmers were granted an exit visa in 1953, but sadly Mrs. Farmer died that year. Unusually Mr. Farmer was granted permission to take his entire collection with him on his departure from China. He returned to England in 1954, where he took Holy Orders in 1965. During this period he joined the Oriental Ceramic Society and lent many of the pieces from his collection to the Society for inclusion in its exhibitions. The Reverend Farmer eventually retired in 1975, dying two years later.