Strikingly powerful verses reflect the visual imagery in Li Keran's On Mt. Loushan in which the Long March winds its way under a 'sunset in the colour of blood'.
The 1964 painting is among the choice lots of fine Chinese paintings up for sale in addition to works from the Robert Chang Collection.
The piece was inspired by Mao Zedong's poem about a significant victory during the campaign. By extracting the poem's mood, Li was able to eulogise the romantic revolutionary while blending the traditional with the modern.
Peach Blossom in Thin Drizzle (estimated HK$2.5-4 million) was composed in 1989, the year of the artist's death, and is probably the last of this kind of work.
From the age of 16 (1923) to 25, Li received his school education, albeit intermittently, in Jiangnan. Even after returning to his home village, he still displayed a longing for the region's breathtaking scenery, making it the subject matter in several of his works.
Fu Baoshi's (1904-1965) Douda Studio (estimated HK$1.5-2 million), completed in 1963, was dedicated to his soulmate, Tang Zunzhi, whom he never met.
Their friendship started with Tang's letter requesting a painting from the artist.