Felt tip and pen on paper

36 x 43.6 cm. 14 1/6 x 17 1/6 in.

Signed in Chinese and dated on bottom right
PROVENANCE
Previous Collection of late Sir David Tang, (acquired directly from the artist as a gift)
Private Collection, Asia

Hong Kong in the Eyes of Master Q
A Witness to an Enduring Friendship

“The art history of Hong Kong will be incomplete without Old Master Q. Alfonso is a hero of Hong Kong.”
—Sir David Tang

When it comes to Master Q, a slim and tall man in traditional hat and round glasses pops into mind. The comic strip created by Alfonso Wong, who adopted his son's name Wong Chak as his pen name, has received extraordinary popularity since 1962 till now. The lanky man is a long-lasting icon that anchors the collective memory of Hong Kong and the Chinese-speaking world. At its auction debut in 2008, Wong's manuscript was sold for HK$360,000. The 120-fps versions were sold out in three days at the exhibition in 2014. Sir David Tang, a leading art collector in Hong Kong, held the largest collection of Wong's works. As the grandson of Tang Siu Kin, David joined the faculty of Peking University after graduating from University of Cambridge in the 1980s. He founded the luxury clothing label Shanghai Tang and the restaurant chain China Club that is well-known in Hong Kong, Singapore and London. Hailed by writer To Kit as the last noble in the metropolis, David had the ability to mingle with the rich and famous, including the late Princess Diana and the President of Cuba. The auctioned items are four Lots of Wong's works collected by Sir David Tang, through which we can catch a glimpse of their friendship and Hong Kong in former times.

Sir David and Master Q
Given his close relationship with David, Wong often included his friend in comic creation, such as Master Q and Mr. Potato, Master Q Eating Noodle (Lot 3). In the former yonkoma, Wong depicted the excitement of the whimsical character after receiving the wrong-number call from David. The latter piece chose Hong Kong's cultural icon fishball noodle as the subject to commemorate their enduring friendship.

Greetings From an Old Friend
In the group of Lazy Dog with Newspaper, Mr. Potato Dreaming (Lot 2), the former refers to Wong's laidback later years. “Let's go out for tea some time!” at the signature section is an open invitation to his old friend. In the latter half, the caption writes “Sir David Tang, long time no see. Let me treat you to some winter treats!” It shows his loving care for David in sickness and the simple pleasure of Cantonese people enjoying homemade soup in winter.

City Love
Wong's discerning observations of the upper class in the colonial era are reflected in Gentleman and Lady (Lot 4). The couple are both slim, with the man well-groomed in suit and the lady in an angry face despite her fancy outfit. Wong accurately drew out the facial expression and mental state of a couple in a fight.

Homage to Sir David Tang
Portrait of Sir David Tang and Friends (Lot 1), created in 2010, reproduced the party vibe of a gathering at his own clubhouse China Club. Sitting at the center of the bar counter are David and Master Q. The nicely tailored suit and the wine glass in hand give away the social status of David, while Master Q is dressed in traditional Chinese attire. The stark contrast of these two characters epitomizes Hong Kong as a cultural melting pot and encapsulates the tribute of local residents to Sir David Tang and his China Club.

Price estimate:
無底價
No Reserve

Auction Result:
HKD: 61,360