Qi Baishi (1864-1957) is perhaps the most famous Chinese artist of the 20th century. He is noted for his whimsical, playful, and seemingly simple style of painting. Born to a peasant family from Xiangtan, Hunan, Qi became a carpenter at 14, and learned to paint by himself. When he came across the 'Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting', that sparked his interest to paint. He did not start learning painting and calligraphy until he was 27. After he turned 40, he travelled, visiting various scenic spots in China. After 1917 he settled in Beijing. Qi is known for the freshness and spontaneity that he brought to the familiar genres of birds and flowers, insects and grasses, hermit-scholars and landscapes.

Compare with a similar painting of pumpkins and grasshopper, by Qi Baishi, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 8 July 2020, lot 1081.