Sold for: $21,250

PROVENANCE
Estate of Gloria Wong Ying-Nin (1929-2023)

Ink and colour on paper, mounted with silk and framed. Signed Junbi in Rong’an ju, with one red seal of the artist.

Born in Hong Kong, Gloria Wong Ying-Nin was a renowned piano instructor and painting collector. Despite the hardships she and her family endured during World War II, she completed her secondary studies at Ling Ying College in 1947.

Gloria had an exceptional aptitude in music and a fearless mindset. She traveled alone to Sydney, Australia to further her musical training at the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music where she received a Diploma of Music (DSCM) in 1955. She then left for the USA, where she earned a Master of Music degree while attending the Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester) in 1960, and pursued post-graduate work at the University of Michigan. She also completed numerous master classes in Florence Italy during her summer vacations.

With the urging of her family, Gloria returned to Hong Kong to begin an illustrious three-decade career as a piano instructor. The Wong Ying Nin Trophy was one of the most coveted prizes in piano competition during the 1970s in Hong Kong. Her expertise in training pianists was sought after in China as well, where she travelled frequently to provide instructions to young musicians. Upon her retirement in the late 1980s, Gloria emigrated to Toronto.

Beyond music, Ms. Gloria Wong was an avid collector of Chinese paintings, calligraphy and porcelain. Within her collection, she was particularly fond of the pieces painted by and gifted to her from Luo Jialun (1897-1969), a close family friend.

Gloria's father, Mr. Wong Sikban (c. 1895-1968) was an important Hong Kong businessman and entrepreneur, working in the banking and gasoline world. He was the Hong Kong agent of Mobil and the owner and one of the founders of the Overseas Trust Bank (OTB). It was through his circle that he introduced Gloria to Luo Jialin. Luo's own collection is now housed in the Lo-Chia Lun Calligraphy Collection at the University of Michigan Museum at Ann Arbor.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars

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