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1 CHINA GUARDIAN HONG KONG 2016 SPRING AUCTIONS TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART May 30,

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4 SANyu ( ) (Stanley William Hayter ) x 60 cm x 27.5 cm x 24 cm In the early 20th Century, more than 2,000 Chinese students traveled abroad to Europe. Some of them studied under the government-sponsored work-study program, while others studied at their own expenses. Sanyu was amongst the very few who migrated to France to learn arts. He persisted in pursuing a liberal lifestyle without blindly following the art movements in China. He began to integrate himself into the Parisian culture by studying Western Modern arts. Combining traditional Chinese aesthetics and Western modern flair, Sanyu successfully paved his road towards being a world renowned artist. Sanyu s gifted artistic talent is reflected upon his ingenious sketches of nude women. Women in his work are alluring and charming, all outlined with nifty swings and voluptuous curves extending his admiration towards women. His sketches are free from constraints and barely portray details of the subject. The sleek flowing lines display his versatility and free-spirited personality. Reclining Beauty was completed in the 1920s. In the work, the lady is seated in a relaxed posture. She tilts her body to the right leaning aside comfortably, with both hands rested on her right thigh. The extended left leg is used to support her left side of the body. Well trained in Chinese calligraphy and further honing his Western sketching techniques, Sanyu captured the complex human body form with two brush strokes to outline the muscles of the straight left leg and the bent right leg. Due to the fluidity of Sanyu s brushwork skills, the clean and smooth lines accentuate the tension and looseness of the entire body; thus, bring the nude woman to life. After completing the work, Sanyu gave it to British artist Stanley William Hayter ( ) as a gift. In 2004, the work was exhibited in Sanyu: L ecriture du corps (Language of the Body) at the Musée National des Arts Asiatiques-Guimet. 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

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6 1201 Sanyu 常玉 ( ) 1920 Sanyu D Reclining Beauty Painted in 1920s Ink on paper Signed in Chinese and Pinyin Sanyu on lower right 45 x 27 cm /4 x 10 5 /8 in. Literature: The Li-Ching Culture and Education Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan, Sanyu - Index of Drawings (L inventaire des Dessins), 2014, p. 108, Plate D0415 Exhibited: Guimet Museum, Paris, France, Sanyu, L écriture du Corps, 16 June - 13 September 2004 Provenance: Given directly by the artist to English artist Stanley William Hayter; Private Collection, Europe. Note: This work is accompanied by a certificate issued by Stanley William Hayter s wife; This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by the Liching Culture and Education Foundation. HKD: 200, ,000 USD: 25,800-32,300 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

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8 ZAO WOu-KI ( ) To be able to touch the wrinkles on xuan paper offers me tremendous pleasure. It is completely different compared to the smooth and firm texture of canvas. The irregular marks and water on xuan paper help create infinite amount of astonishing rendering effects. Once the xuan paper comes into contact with the ink, it absorbs the ink, and combining the rhythmic movements of the elbow, creates variations of black, white and grey-a thousand shades of grey. A space is invented under the tip of the brush, taking its form and soaring freely as I run my imagination, the ink gracefully spreads-the lightness of the brushstroke, the lightness of colours, and the lightness in passing of time. Zao Wou-Ki 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

9 (Henri Michaux) x 81 cm 2000 Zao Wou-ki went to Paris for further studies in 1940s. After his breakthroughs in oil painting in the s, he explored ink painting again in the 1970s. His subjects and artistic manner demonstrated strong Oriental spirit, which is characterised as the Boundless Period. He returned to Chinese ink wash techniques and spatial conceptions of Chinese ink paintings, which offered him novel inspiration by transcending his works to another level. Zao s art works gradually evolved from a structured, fixed whole world towards a more spontaneous and unsystematic phase of creation. After his beloved second wife passed away, Zao resumed ink painting again as a therapeutic practice to grieve over his loss. He stopped abandoning traditional ink painting and began to master creativity and randomness on large pieces of fine Chinese paper (xuan zhi). Zao mellowed considerably as he grew older after the 1980s. Full of passion, Zao infused resplendent contrasting colours into an ambient atmosphere of clouds and water mists. After the 1990s, Zao s works became consummate works of art; displaying a state of pure elegance, with the Chinese philosophy stressing the integration of heaven and human. It is particularly emphasised in Zao s monochrome ink paintings through his experimentations with Chinese painting tradition. The overall scene displayed a free lyrical style of warmth and grace. This piece of ink painting, Untitled, is a signature 1980s style drawn with a square composition. Zao s employment of rich and vigorous ink variations show his meditative spirit. Under the poignant movements of his brushstroke, the random intertwining of ink spots, ink lines and patches exhibit the true essence of Chinese calligraphy. With the infinite variations of ink; delicate and bold lines compose a perfect balance of substance and void, a tranquil imagery. This masterpiece was an important work composed in the last years of Zao s artistic career. 20TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

10 1202 趙無極 ( ) 2000 Zao Zao Wou-Ki Untitled Painted in 2000 Ink on paper Signed and dated Wou-ki Zao 00 in Chinese and Pinyin. on lower right 78.5 x 85.5 cm /8 x 33 5 /8 in. Literature: Tina Keng Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan, Zao Wou-ki, 2000, p. 42. Exhibited: Tina Keng Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan, Zao Wou-ki's Ink Paintings, 1-26 November 2000 Provenance: 20th Century Chinese Art, Sotheby s Hong Kong, 27 November 2005, Lot 290; Acquired from the above sale by the present owner. HKD: 450, ,000 USD: 58,100-71,000 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

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12 TING yin-yung ( ) 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

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14 6. 7. The Boarderless Art: When the East meets West Ting Yin-yung, Lin Fengmian and Guan Liang, known to be Three Heroes of Guangdong, all grew up from Guangdong province and became very good friends. They lived and worked in Shanghai during the same time. During WWII, they followed the Nationalist Government s and migrated to Chongqing and held joint exhibitions together. Ting s artistic career is divided into two periods moving to Hong Kong in 1949 marked a turning point in his artistic career. He devoted the earlier stages of his life on Western paintings, and then gradually shifted his focus to Chinese ink paintings. This transition is not only seen as a return to his original Chinese roots, but is also seen as a transcendence in terms of his technical skills. Ting went through 5 years of rigorous training at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (today, the Tokyo University of the Arts) studying Western-style art. Consequently, he adopted Henri Matisse s Fauvism as the starting point of his artistic journey. In 1925, Ting returned to China to advocate for the modernisation of Chinese Art. Since he helped set up the Guangdong Municipal Museum, where he was deeply immersed with the world of Chinese calligraphy and epigraphy, he began to collect works by Bada Shanren, Shitao and Jin Nong. On the other hand, Ting taught himself Chinese paintings and was inspired to incorporate Western influence into Chinese freehand brush works. Since the s, Ting s style evolved systematically in terms of modernity, ethnicity and personality. From School of Plein-airism, Fauvism, to the discovery of Chinese primitive culture and archaic seals, Ting successfully assimilated Chinese and Western painting styles to develop his own version of the East meets West. This sale offers two works representing his different stages in life, Hong Hu IV and Opera Figure: General. In 1949, due to the political situation in China, Ting left Guangzhou and spent the remaining 30 years of his life in Hong Kong. He adopted a new name Ting Hong, which means a wild goose fleeing to the south, indulging in solitude in order to reach the height of his artistic development. In the 1950s, Ting combined his interests in ancient relics and Fauvism along with the elements of archaic scripts to create his own aesthetic language. The subject matters of this piece are two pictorial characters representing Hong and Tiger, which are Ting s given name and his Chinese zodiac sign. He used scarlet ink to outline the forms of a goose and a tiger, inspired by the design of ancient jades. The geometric figures were derived from the observation and appreciation of our ancestors towards the mother nature. As a result, Ting adopted the abstract forms and played with the composition. Skillfully managing the lines and the spacing of the brush strokes with both elements echoing at each other, Ting delineated the shapes of the goose and the tiger with one stroke. This approach is associated with the techniques used in Chinese calligraphy and seal craving, reflecting Ting s vigor and mastery in calligraphy. The scarlet ink reminds viewers of a cinnabar inkpad, while the ivory background resembles the scripts on an oracle bone. This creation is a represention of Ting himself and inspired him to compose Two Part Taichi Diagram in the 1970s. Not only does this feature carry the best annotation of Ting, but it also reveals his true spirits. Ting successfully extracted the condescension tone in Bada Sharen s works and transformed into humourous elements in life. He enjoyed watching Chinese opera and was always inspired by the Opera literatures. During his childhood, he captured the scenes with a paintbrush and a piece of paper immediately after watching a show. He considered the innocence of a child best elicits the authenticity and beauty of an artwork. 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

15 8. 9. Most of his favourite subject matters were characters from Buddhism and Taoism such as Buddha, the Eight Immortals, Arhat and Zhong Kui. In Opera Figure: General, the figure is armed with two hammers, with exaggerated broad shoulders and a large heavy body to highlight the contrast of proportion. He gave up the details of the subjects by accentuating the most dramatic elements of the characters to enrich the story appeal of the work. Though Bada Shanren employed a variation of flowing lines to depict human figures, Ting, on the other hand, dissolved the boundaries between the East and the West. By inheriting the essence of Bada Sharen, Ting further developed his own form of vibrant colours and use of lines to establish significant masterpieces in the 20th Century Chinese Art. Ting s exploration of the simplicity and purity of primitive culture best illustrated the complex human behaviours. Hence, it became the ideals of his artistic pursuits. He concluded the Bada Sharen s brushworks and his aesthetics values have established the Modern art ideology three hundred years ago, more perspicacious compared to Western Modernism. Upholding the spirits of Bada Sharen, Ting incorporated the elements of Western Modern arts into his Chinese ink paintings. Thus, it has earned him a reputation of Matisse of the East and Bada Shanren of Modern Times II 61 x 45.5 cm Lot ( 2) x 46 cm TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

16 1203 丁衍庸 ( ) IV TING YIN-YUNG Hong Hu IV Painted between Oil on board Signed in Chinese on lower left 40 x 29.5 cm /4 x 11 5 /8 in. Literature: National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan, Aesthetic Images of Ding Yanyong s Paintings, 2003, p. 119 Exhibited: National Museum of Hidtory, Taipei, Taiwan, Aesthetic Images of Ding Yanyong s Paintings, 5 August - September Provenance: 20th Century Chinese Art, Christie s Hong Kong, 27 October 2002, Lot 111; Important Private Collection, Asia. HKD: 800,000-1,000,000 USD: 103, ,000 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

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18 1204 丁衍庸 ( ) : 1973 Ting Yin-yung Opera Figure: General Painted in 1973 Ink and colour on paper Signed, dated and inscribed in Chinese with artist's seal on upper right 68.5 x 28 cm. 27 x 11 in. HKD: 30,000-50,000 USD: 3,900-6,500 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

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21 Grand Master of the Century, Pioneering Chinese Art History s Modernist Approach Lin Fengmian is considered a pioneer of Modern Chinese painting in the 20th century. However, he did not receive much attention and academic recognition from art history scholars until the late 1980s. Thus, it took the rest of the world six decades to finally be able to appreciate Lin s unconventional and vanguard concept 20TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

22 中国二十世纪及当代艺术 LIN FENGMIAN ( ) ( Ovide Yencesse )

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25 Grand Master of the Century, Pioneering Chinese Art History s Modernist Approach Lin Fengmian is considered a pioneer of Modern Chinese painting in the 20th century. However, he did not receive much attention and academic recognition from art history scholars until the late 1980s. Thus, it took the rest of the world six decades to finally be able to appreciate Lin s unconventional and vanguard concept. His arduous artistic path began when he moved to France to study in In the next five years, Lin was greatly influenced by Ovide Yencesse, the principal of the École Nationale Supérieure d Art de Dijon, and Cai Yuanpei, the revered figure from the Republic of China. The former withdrew him from Academism to focus on Western Modernism, to embrace his Chinese heritage and explore traditional Chinese aesthetics. While the latter discovered Lin s talent by providing him encouragement during the beginning of his artistic career. Hence, Lin completely gave up traditional academics in order to establish his Modernist style of blending Chinese and Western techniques. Under Cai s invitation, Lin became an educator, with the ideals of using art to rescue our nation to revolutionise art education in China. Returning to Motherland, Advocating Revolutionary Art Education In 1925, Lin returned to China to teach, and the next ten years was marked as his artistic prime time. In 1926, he became the principal of the National Beijing Fine Arts School in his early 20s and co-founded the reputable Hangzhou National Art Academy. With a burning sense of mission, he launched numerous art movements, published art magazines and created a series of artworks to promote the integration of Eastern and Western art. He rallied a group of supporters, including Lin Wenzheng, Wu Dayu, Pan Tianshou, Pan Yuliang, Liu Kaiqu and Li Kuchan, all influential figures in Art History. He had also inspired many prominent artists from the Chinese art world, such as Zao Wou-ki, Chu Teh- Chun, Wu Guanzhong, Zhao Chunxiang and Xi Dejin. Fading out the Education System, Painstaking Devotion to Creative Practices With the outbreak of Sino-Japanese War in 1937, Lin fled to the southern-west region of China with his schoolteachers and students. In 1938, Hangzhou National College of Art and the Beiping State Vocational Art School merged together. The school system went through a reformation; Lin, under tremendous pressure, resigned his position as principal. The end of his education career marked the beginning of his artistic pursuit. He engaged in innovative experiments by drawing upon Western art movements such as Modernism, Fauvism and Cubism, and infused the essence into traditional Chinese ink painting with folk culture elements. His formation in square and his transformation of Chinese ink wash became two major components of the period. The rhythm of changeable light and intense sentiment became known as Lin Fengmian Style. His sojourn ended in Chongqing when he returned to Hangzhou to teach in 1946 at the end of the Sino-Japanese War. Fusing with Confidence, Establishment of Career Milestone Later in the 1950s, due to the conflicting views between Lin and the college, he was forced to resign. Left unemployed, he moved to Shanghai to live a peaceful life. Once again, he devoted his time and freedom to indulge in art, this time, with a positive state of mind. Lin was highly respected amongst the Shanghai art community, Shanghai Art Association held many events to praise his artistic achievements. He was invited to many places to travel, including Jingdezhen to make porcelain paintings. Chinese and Shaoxing operas, fishing villages as well as folk culture arts all became sources of inspiration for Lin. The affirmation from the Shanghai community enabled him to rebuild his confidence, and the different mode of living brought gradual change in his art. Thus, he was able to fully concentrate on integrating Chinese and Western traits in his arts. 20TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

26 Lin s works that exist nowadays were created in the s, he donated most of them to the Shanghai Art Association, Shanghai Chinese Painting Academy or to the government collection, especially the works created before the Cultural Revolution best represent Lin s lifelong venture. These works came to maturity, especially those with Chinese opera theme, exude a Modernist spirit. Lin utilised Cubism technique, along with the inspiration of opera facemasks and Picasso s African masks. He cleverly employed geometric structures and spatial design to represent the multi-dimensionality of the world, as well as the surpassing of time and space; breaking away the restriction of time and the conventional design of space in a two-dimensional work. As a result, the works from s marked a watershed in his career. From an Art History perspective, the artworks from this period are the most groundbreaking of all. Classical Chinese Opera, Novel Concept Drawn in 1950s, Yuchang Sword is one of Lin s finest works amongst his Chinese opera series depicting opera figures. He completed this painting at his Nanchang Road apartment in Shanghai. A perfect visual representation, Lin artfully combined the formation in square and reinvention of traditional Chinese ink painting method, was shown flawlessly in this piece. The titular sword is said to be a specially designed treasure from sword master to King Goujian of Yue State. Though small in size, its sharp edges could penetrate armor, just like a dagger. According to Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of Assassins, in the end of the Spring and autumn Period of Chinese history, renowned assassin Zhuan Zhu was sent by Prince Guang (son of the late King Zhu Fan of the Wu State), to kill his cousin, King Liao of the Wu State, so Prince Guang can instate himself as the king. With a sword hidden inside a roasted fish, Zhuan Zhu successfully murdered King Liao. Thus, the name Yuchang is derived from the plot, it literally means fish intestine, identified as a sword of bravery. This art piece is inspired by Chinese opera, presenting a thrilling scene where assassin Zhuan Zhu presented the roasted fish on a serving tray to King Liao just before he pulled out the sharp sword. Lin hereby employs big patches of diamond shapes and straight diagonal lines across the picture plane to intersect the background of the painting, displaying his speedy movements and intensifies the anxious atmosphere. Zhuan Zhu, imposingly stands in the foreground with his broaching long beard and purple three-tile face. (Aside from his black eyebrows and black eyes, there are three blocks of colours on his forehead and both sides of his cheeks. In the ancient time, the purple colour is a mix of red and black colours. This facemask symbolizes loyalty and calmness). Wearing a black top and standing in a horse stance, with a thrust he stabs the fish dagger into King Liao. Lin depicts Zhuan Zhu with a heavy figure to accentuate his strength and stoutness. Lin depicts the assassin in a triangular shape; with a ponytail tighten above his head as the tip of the triangle, stretching all the way down to his long straight hair draping down by his right shoulder. Lin brings the viewer s attention down to the tip of Zhuan Zhu s right foot, extending past his left foot all the way to the left corner of King Liao s robe. The edge of the triangle stretches back up past the upraised left arm of the assassin, focusing on the tray, with the tiny grey fish as the limelight of the painting. Meanwhile, King Liao has a yellow three-tiled face (in Chinese opera, the colour yellow implies his aggressive and calculative personality). He stands in a defensive pose with his hand in front of his chest, staring at the fish sword piercing through his yellow robe. The lavish headpiece with pheasant feathers symbolizes his majestic identity. Lin uses a rectangular round shape to depict the figure of the short-lived King Liao, drawing attention to his stern facial expression and hand gesture. Blending of the East and the West, Surpassing Space and Time, The Harmonious Modern Compositional Structure Inspired by Modernism and Cubism, Lin depicts his opera characters as figures being divided and reconstructed in different fragments of time and space. His use of multiple 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

27 viewpoints, a concept derived from traditional Chinese painting, breaks through the two dimensions space. Shifting from perceptual vision to conceptual vision, Lin eschews the confinement of Chinese painting, and freely shuttles between the Chinese and Western art realm. The geometric construction of Yuchang Sword artfully illustrates the contrasts between the offense and defense, underscoring the aggressive ambush and the passive resistance, the acuteness of the triangles versus the bluntness of the circular composition. Lin wants to display the agile movements of the characters, while tactfully externalizing the mental states of the two and the continuity of plot development. His ability to use simple complementary colours of contrasting tone to convey the plot. The reddish black of Zhuan Zhu s top and the sunny yellow of King Liao s robe, with a dash of mineral green as highlight. Both characters carry fuchsia coloured lips. Lin uses white and yellow to highlight the edges of the figures. The background uses rich ink brushstrokes to divide the patches up in a horizontal and vertical manner. While the dark hair and top resemble a black waterfall, the folds on the white pants are as light as feathers. With swift straight lines, arched curves and varying shades of grey, Lin creates endless changes in the pure colours black and white. His colours, lines and shapes melt into a lyrical harmony. The viewers feel as if they are watching the Chinese opera in live performance, with the legend unfolds before their very eyes. The Work of A Genius, Ongoing Reflection, Lin s Dearly Beloved It is worth noting that, with reference to Yuchang Sword, Lin mimicked the composition of it and drew Life Like Chinese Opera (included in Lin Fengmian: Works of Representatives of Shanghai Artists in the Century, published by the Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing). In the latter piece, he made various adjustments; he emphasised on the addition of diverse colours and lessened the brushstrokes marks. Including the changing colours of the assassin s clothes to blue, inserting layered details to King Liao s headpiece, as well as adding green and brighter yellow to enhance the contours. An assumption was made that this piece would serve as a draft of an oil painting work, which would better heighten the richness of the colours. The creation of the second piece, as well as Lin s photograph with Yuchang Sword to commemorate his aesthetic triumph, also shows the deep fondness he had for his work. World Renowned Masterpiece, Ten Years Collection The Cubism Chinese opera theme represents Lin s splendid milestone in synthesizing the Chinese and Western aesthetics rhetoric. In Yuchang Sword, the use of smooth brushstrokes, clean division and graceful colours to illustrate the courageous assassination of King Liao display Lin s integration of the Eastern and Western painting style. His signature block structures exhibit a rhythmic and sensual scene. This rare piece is part of the collection of an important collector, and has been illustrated in The Approach of Lin Fengmian: the Centenary of Lin Fengmian, published in China Academy of Art Publisher in 1999 and in Lin Fengmian: Works of Representatives of Shanghai Artists in the Century published in Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing in Lot ( ) 20.1 x 26.8 cm 5. Lot Georges Braque 80 x 80 cm x 40 cm x 32 cm Lot Les Demoiselles d Avignon 243 x 233 cm x 69 cm 50 20TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

28 1205 Lin Fengmian 林風眠 ( ) 1950 ; CHINESE OPERA SERIES-Yuchang Sword Painted in 1950s Ink and colour on paper Signed in Chinese and stamped with artist's seal on lower left 67 x 67.5 cm /8 x 26 5 /8 in. Literature: China Academy of Art Publiser, Hangzhou, China, The Approach of Lin Fengmian : the Centenary of Lin Fengmian, 1999, p Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing, Shanghai, China, Lin Fengmian: Works of Representatives of Shanghai Artists in the Century, 2013, p. 51. Provenance: 20th Century Chinese Art, Christie s Hong Kong, 27 November 2005, Lot 173; Important Private Collection, Asia. Note: This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Tina Keng Gallery, Taiwan. HKD: 3,500,000-5,500,000 USD: 451, ,700 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

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30 WALASSE TING ( ) 1952 (COBRA Group) (Piere Alechinsky) (Asger Jorn) (Karel Appel) 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

31 This sale offers two pieces by Walasse Ting, both completed at different stages of his life, representing his unique style in his artistic career. Moving to Paris in 1952, Ting became acquainted with a group of artists of the avant-garde group named CoBrA. Artists including Pierre Alechinsky from Belgium, Asger Jorn from Denmark, and Karel Appel from Holland all established a profound friendship with Ting. In 1958, Ting ventured out to New York where Abstract Expressionism gained the mainstream acceptance. He discovered Andy Warhol s talents and became involved in the Pop Art Movement. Ting s straight forward and sentimental personality coincided with the self-expressive personality that CoBra Group prized. Being influenced by Abstract Expressionism, Ting utilised unsystematic dots, lines, colours, forms and composition to convey his intensive emotions. His affinity towards the mass culture further affirmed his appreciation towards the Pop Art culture. New York s fast-paced rhythm also inspired Ting to employ unconventional and bold colours in the 1960s. The resplendent style of splattering and dripping techniques as well as the strident colours of Matisse s Fauvism became the well-known trademarks featured in Ting s works. Abstract Still Life, a classic work by Ting in the late 1950s, was influenced by Abstract Expressionism when he first settled in New York. He uses strong brush strokes and large swathes of paint in abstract forms to express his passionate spirits, along with wild cursive calligraphy as his artistic language. In this work, Ting adopts indigo as the main colour, and used bold dark lines to separate the different colour patches such as bright yellow, grass green, chocolate brown and light pink. This work displays some similarities compared to Jackson Pollock s work The Tea Cup created in Ting omitts figurative representation; instead, he opts for rapid brush lines as well as contrasting colours to convey his raging emotions. In the 1970s, Ting moved away from abstract forms; subsequently, women and flowers became his favourite subject matters. He playfully painted vibrant fluorescent colours on fine Chinese paper (xuan zhi) and infused an Oriental touch into his works. Ting s artistic career reached its peak in the 1980s. It was then when he established his signature style through the depictions of birds, flowers and women all executed in a vitality of brush strokes and luminous colours. A Bouquet of Tenderness, offered in this sale, was created in 1992 and it was one of Ting s more important works from his heyday. This work has a vertical composition; three beautiful slender women stand gracefully together with a bouquet of flowers in each one of their hands. Ting once descripted himself, Whenever I see a beautiful woman with flowers, the feeling of affection mixed with melancholy is so peculiar that it makes me feel intangible and refreshed. I want to use different colours to express my inner emotion of state. In this work, vivid colours such as indigo, eggplant and violet are applied to the background and the dresses of the beauties, matching the colour palettes of the flower bouquets in their hands. They all embody different hair style and hair colours, as well as different tones of makeup displaying fluorescent green, yellow, orange and burgundy red colours. This lively composition demonstrates Ting s child-like sensibility towards the things he loved. Ting named himself Flower Thief implying his praise towards feminine beauty and the wonders of youth. Though he called himself a Thief, the irony behind this name reflects upon his untrammeled aesthetics attitude that one shall seize the precious moments in life ( ) x cm x 28 cm TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

32 1206 丁雄泉 ( ) W. TING WALASSe Ting Abstract STILL Life Painted in 1950s-1960s Mixed media on paper Signed in English W. TING on lower left 50.5 x 75.5 cm /8 x 29 3 /4 in. Provenance: 20th Century Chinese Art, Sotheby s Taipei, 1999, Lot 53. HKD: 85,000-95,000 USD: 11,000-12,300 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

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34 1207 丁雄泉 ( ) 1992 WALASSe Ting A Bouquet of Tenderness Painted in 1992 Ink, colour and acrylic on paper Stamped with artist s seal on lower left x 95 cm /2 x 37 3 /8 in. Note: This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Asia Art Centre, Taiwan. HKD: 300, ,000 USD: 38,700-51,600 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

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36 中国二十世纪及当代艺术 GEORGE CHANN ( )

37 George Chann s career in art began in the early 1940s. Before he was influenced by American Abstract Expressionism, his works were mainly inspired by Impressionism and mostly depict Social Realist portraits of underprivileged children and the elderlies of Asian, African or Mexican descents, brimming with humanitarianism and care for his nation. Children Playing with Pets in this auction is an archetype of his works from the 1940s. It depicts two Asian children in Chinese clothing playing with their pets. Chann captures the dynamic moment with his Impressionistic brushstrokes. By using a calming and dark background, the children s facial expressions and postures stand out in front of the viewer s eyes. The boy is entertained by the playful pets fighting for his attention. On the other hand, the girl puts her arm around the boy s shoulder while gazing into the distance, shows sisterly love for her little brother as she subtly yearns for their parents return. A delicate thread is held between the siblings that implies the biological bond and the emotional connection between them. In 1943, an article in New York Times stated, The children s portraits by Chann are marked by a deep perception of compassion, sensitivity and understanding of life. Chann returned to China in 1947, he then took a visiting instructor role at Lingnan University in Guangdong. He had frequent exchanges with the virtuoso painters and calligraphers, which had affected him to embrace his cultural roots. He began to create works that were more in line with his Chinese heritage. When American Abstract Expressionism swept the art world in 1950s, he developed his distinctive style by merging calligraphy and oil painting with precise strokes. Breaking the Old Way, Paving a New Path Chann created myriad complex landscape paintings inspired by his long-time interest in Chinese calligraphy. He later included ancient Chinese characters from pottery inscriptions, oracle bones and bell-cauldron scripts as well as stone inscriptions into his works. He also added gradation and textures to them by mimicking the corrosion on patina bronze and stone slabs, thus giving birth to the series Letter Variation. In the 1950s, being influenced by Abstract Expressionists like Mark Tobey s white writing and Jackson Pollock s action painting, he combined both historical elements and cultural sentiments to cultivate a liberating visual effect. This sale presents a classic work from the Bronze and Stone Variation series created in the 60s. After years of experiments, Chann s ancient inscriptions textures and forms entered a more mature stage. The characteristics of his works are highly inspired by Abstract Expressionism. Large calligraphic characters are pasted in pressed or rubbed layers against a light or monochromatic background, breathing an air of elegance that is both ancient and modern. This work uses a vermilion colour base, which is quite rare in the entire Bronze and Stone Variation series. The subtle gradations of the colour create a harmonious scene. Layers of paints stacked on top each other form a bas-relief texture similar to the rustiness of the bronze vessels. Unlike his other works in the 50s that encompass scattered lines and strokes, this work contains different layers of Chinese characters. In the center of the work, the Chinese characters are piled together to form a rectangular shape with a visible border. The smaller square in the bottom left corner resembles a traditional Chinese seal. By transforming Chinese calligraphy and traditional Chinese seals into abstract symbols, Chann establishes a reputation of a pure oriental abstract painter x 45.5 cm x 71 cm x 50.1 cm TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

38 1208 陳蔭羆 ( ) 1940 Geo Chann George Chann Children Playing with Pets Painted circa 1940s Oil on canvas Signed Geo Chann on upper left 81 x 66 cm /8 x 26 in. Note: This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by George Chann s sole daughter. HKD: 100, ,000 USD: 12,900-19,400 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

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40 1209 陳蔭羆 ( ) 1960 Geo Chann George Chann Bronze and STONE VARIATION Painted circa 1960s Oil and mixed media on canvas Signed Geo Chann on upper left 61.5 x 45.6 cm /4 x 18 in. Literature: Lin & Lin Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan, Derivations: The WAY does more than connect two points, April 2014, p. 98. Exhibited: Lin & Lin Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan, George Chann: Solo Exhibition, 26 February - 21 March 2000 HKD: 280, ,000 USD: 36,100-49,000 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

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42 中国二十世纪及当代艺术 SHIy DE JINN ( )

43 Born in Sichuan, China in 1923, Shiy Dejinn started to learn how to paint from the age of five, and graduated from China Academy of Art in Hangzhou later. After moving to Taiwan, he briefly taught at Taiwan Provincial Chiayi High School. He had lived in Paris for a couple of years before moving back to Taiwan in 1966, and by then he had travelled around Europe and USA, where he was impacted by contemporary art and Pop Art movement. Shiy tried to incorporate traditional culture into contemporary art. As one of Lin Fengmian s five best students and a significant contemporary artist in Taiwan, the Vincent van Gogh of Taiwan is noted for his watercolour painting with a distinctive and lyrical style. In his prime years, he supported the abstract art movement, and strived to combine the characteristics of oriental ink painting and occidental paintings. Regarded as Taiwanese art pioneer in the 1970s, Shiy s paintings show his insight and understanding of nature, as well as Taiwan s local culture. Shiy s artistic themes vary, including abstract painting, portraiture, still life, landscape, floral painting and so on. This work Lanscape and Amaryllis is a unique doublesided painting depicting two important themes of Shiy - landscape and flowers. It was created in 1974, illustrating sub-tropical scenery. The varying layers of colours extend the scenery, while the empty space in the background completes the whole scenery. The painting features layers of different colours, and viewers are likely to fix their gaze in the middle at first, where the deep green forests present a blurry, obscure atmosphere. His approach is consistent with the style of Chinese ink painting, and such has been the style of Shiy changed since My landscape painting is created with Western watercolour materials yet it conveys Oriental values, and reinterprets the nature. Thus my colours have playful features of Chinese ink painting with radiating freshness and life. Shiy once said. The back of this lot presents blossoming amaryllises, which signifies aloofness as it blossoms amidst loneliness. The form of the amaryllis is similar to the narcissus, resembling the Narcissus in ancient Greek Mythology. Narcissus has been a favourite theme of Shiy. Apart from preference for its form, Shiy subtly implies his homosexuality nature through the depiction of the flower. Compared with the pale colour of the narcissus, Shiy prefers sharp colours, especially red. The bright red petals of the amaryllis and its form are associated with Boy in Red, one of Shiy s classic works in the 1960s. The amaryllises stand tall and proud with the passion of a tropical flower, resembling the perfect image in Shiy s mind. Compared to the 1960s, Shiy painted far less portraits in the 1970s. Instead, there were more Taiwanese landscapes and floral paintings. The flowers in this painting are either blossoming or withering, signifying the passing of time. The sprigs of flowers are depicted with multiple layers of gradual-changing green colours. While the sprigs visually serve as the base of the whole painting, the empty space at the background became an elegant touch. Through this piece of work, one could admire Shiy s unique artistic style while relating to his different emotions x 61.0 cm x 69.1 cm 20TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

44 1210 席德進 ( ) / Shiy De Jinn Lanscape and Amaryllis Painted in 1974 Watercolour on paper Signed in Chinese and dated 1974 on lower left 75.5 x 52.5 cm /4 x 20 5 /8 in. HKD: 220, ,000 USD: 28,400-41,300 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

45 20TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

46 LIU KUO-SUNG (b. 1932) 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

47 2. 3. In late 1980s, Liu Kuo-Sung travelled extensively in China He was inspired to invent a new technique of working with the paper fibres to create the scene of snowy mountain of Tibet. In 2000, Liu travelled to Tibet again and trekked to Mt Everest. He was touched by the stunning landscape though, after the trip, his left ear lost the hearing ability. Upon return, he poured his passion onto the canvas and created the subsequent Tibetan series. Of the series, Purang In Ngari: Tibetan Series No. 7, this masterpiece offered this season is among the first batch of creation. is an amazing touch that suggests the natural beauty of the interlocking spur between the valley and mountains. Not only does the lake bring the viewer to the hidden valley, but it also softens the composition of the work, presenting us a spectacular view of Tibet. Liu merges the Western technique and Eastern aesthetics, modernizing the traditional ink paintings and bringing it to a brand new level. Liu deployed the technique he invented from the 1960s in Tibetan series. On the special rough paper he made, he skillfully arranges the outer shape of the landscapes then wielded horizontally with a broad brush. Dripping the ink on the wet surface of the paper, he removes the thick paper fibres, thus the blank and white lines reveal, composing the pattern of the mountain range. Tension on the tableau arises, with the white lines featuring the contour of the magnificent mountain. The arrangement is echoing the concept in calligraphy counting white as black. Two mountains are situated at the upper part and bottom part of the work respectively, in duality, the artist employs different rendering approaches on the work, displaying a less orderly manner. Fibres are retained at the bottom part, and the ink composed most of the foreground, creating a visual effect that the mountain is striking closely to the viewer. On the upper part of the work, the artist removes a large portion of the fibres and applies bold swath of ink, creating the feeling that mountain was seemingly afar. He applies green and yellow dots between two mountains to emphasis the distance. He masters the usage of colour contrast and the texture of the paper to manifest the landscape. One could sense the south and north facing slopes are covered with snow and green respectively, which enriches the content extensively. The lake he depicts at the left bottom corner TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

48 1211 劉國松 (b. 1932) Liu Kuo-Sung Purang in Ngari: Tibetan Series No. 7 Painted in 2000 Ink and colour on paper Signed in Chinese and dated 2000 with artist s seal in the centre left 61.5 x 94.5 cm /4 x 37 1 /4 in. Literature: Chung Hua University Arts Center, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 21st Century: Latest Works of Liu Kuo-Sung, March 2006, p. 27. Exhibited: Chung Hua University Arts Center, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 21st Century: Latest Works of Liu Kuo-Sung, 11 January - 12 February 2006 HKD: 350, ,000 USD: 45,200-71,000 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

49 20TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

50 HSIAO CHIN (b. 1935) To me, the most important aspect of painting is not the act of painting, but to understand the origin of life, to record the life experience and my own reflections, and to inspire the prospect of one's life. Hsiao Chin 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

51 x 198 cm x 150 cm 2000 Hsiao Chin was born to father Hsiao Yu-mei, who was a pioneer in modern Chinese music and the founder of Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Faced by the unfortunate loss of his parents and daughter, he was urged to investigate the meaning of life and turn to a new chapter of life through art. By the end of 1955, his peers and he co-founded the Chinese abstract art group in Taipei, the Ton-Fan Art Group. He received a scholarship in the following year to study in Spain. I do not paint Zen, but observe the flow and evolution of cosmic life through the lens of Zen was the artist s attitude towards his art. The Hsiao style embodies the boundless universe with simple colours, basic geometric shapes, simplifying the complex in a zen manner. The intensity of red, white and blue in The Revelation of Mind, 1996, are redolent of the use of the three colours on the Madonna in Classicism. Thin streaks of orange and yellow against the vast red background resemble undefined sounds in the vast universe. The white stripe between the red and the blue is similar to the Milky Way, sprinkled with thousands of stars. The splash of blue reminds one of a refreshing stream and a different expansion of space. Similar to Infinity and Surpassing Infinity series from the 90s, this piece was a selftherapeutic practice for the artist himself, who lost his beloved daughter, and an inquiry into life and the planets. The Cosmic Evolution series created around 2000 externalize Hsiao s inner perception of the vast universe with vortices that continue to emit energy and Chi. The irregular periphery of the concentric circles in Cosmic Evolution-7 resembles nebula. The visual effects have given the center a great depth and the plane a clockwork motion, thus creating a sense of three-dimensional dynamicity. With a harmonious symmetric composition and gradations of colors, the artist has built an infinite cosmic space within a limited-size canvas, playing with its intangibility and exploring the changes of the universe. 20TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

52 1212 蕭勤 (b. 1935) 1996 Hsiao 100 x Hsiao Chin The Revelation of Mind Painted in 1996 Acrylic on canvas Signed in Chinese and in Pinyin Hsiao, dated, titled and inscribed in Chinese on the reverse 100 x 130 cm /8 x 51 1 /8 in. Exhibited: Lin & Keng Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan, Group Exhibition of Abstraction, Provenance: Chinese 20th Century Art Day Sale, Christie s Hong Kong, 25 May 2008, Lot 297 HKD: 400, ,000 USD: 51,600-64,500 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

53 20TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

54 1213 蕭勤 (b. 1935) 2001 Hsiao L evoluzine cozmica - 7 Acrylic 200 x 200 cm Hsiao Chin Cosmic Evolution NO.7 Painted in 2001 Oil on canvas Signed in Chinese and in Pinyin Hsiao, titled L evoluzine cozmica - 7 and inscribed Acrylic 200 x 200 cm on the reverse 200 x 200 cm /4 x 78 3 /4 in. Literature: Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China, Hsiao Chin , A Journey Back to the Source, p. 100&101. Exhibited: Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China, Hsiao Chin , A Journey Back to the Source, August 26 - September HKD: 500, ,000 USD: 64,500-77,400 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

55 20TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

56 JU MING (b. 1938) 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

57 2. 3. No : TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

58 4. 5. Ju Ming apprenticed to Yuyu Yang at the age of 30. Deeply impressed by Yang s spiritual creative concepts, Ming learnt the thrifty principle of removal to remove the redundant details and to only preserve the spirit within. After 5 to 6 years of sculpting lessons with Yang, Ju started to learn Taichi to build his physical strength. He began to absorb the true essence of Taichi, which were then incorporated into his works. Ju Ming held his first solo exhibition in 1976 at the National Museum of History in Taipei, featuring a sculpture named Kung Fu. It became an instant success. Following in 1977 and 1978, he held solo exhibitions at the Tokyo Central Museum presenting his Taichi Series, which won the attention of many. Among the many pieces, Taichi Series-Single Whip was brought into the collection of the Hakone Open Air Museum in Japan. Taichi practice originated from the Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang balance in the natural world. It stresses on the dynamic duality elements of active yet passive, forceful yet yielding, the reflecting and absorbing movements of the opposite forces. Initially, he displayed the human subjects in purely abstract blocks and volume by only focusing on the forms of Taichi. However, as he deepened his understanding of Taichi, he drew away from the form and focused on the momentum. As he said, It s not just about carving the form itself, but the swift movements between each form. Ju once noted that One must sculpt quickly with an instinctive mind. By quickly cutting the strokes without hesitation, it can be done in under two or three minutes. However, as soon as you let your mind wonder, seven or eight minutes may have passed by. I want my thoughts to trail behind my blade so I can display my authentic soul in the works. First, Ju would observe the material of the wood before he decides on the subject of his sculpture. He would then cut, cleave, chop, and rip according to the natural grains of the wood. Keeping the wood s distinctive nature, each of his Taichi sculptures is unique. This sale presents a set of bronze sculptures from 1978 and another set of wooden sculptures made in the late 1980s. Ju s Taichi Series began to mature in the late 1970s; his Taichi figures have taken an abstract form, and became more vigorous and concise. This is the period when Ju started to experiment with bronze material. Since styrofoam is soft and pliable, he first carved the form and had it cast in bronze. The final product kept Ju s original bearing of his blades marks and the rhythm of his movement. Collection Of A Notable Press Celebrity, Taichi Balance Of The Universe This set of Taichi Pair features a pair of sparring figures exhibiting the complementary energies of soft and hard. With just a few powerful bold cuts, Ju accurately depicts the form of the figures. The right figure strikes first with a push of the hands in a horse stance, while 中国二十世纪及当代艺术

59 6. the figure on the left is poised, ready to neutralize and deflect the opponent s force. As this set of work portrays the attacker and the defender, it shows their movement is synchronized. It is a harmonious connection as the power of the two figures shifts back and forth. It delivers a message from Marcel Duchamp s Nude Descending a Staircase, No.2, stating that the continuous dynamic momentum is best depicted with a three-dimensional sculpture to display the aesthetic conception. This set of works was acquired from a prominent Taiwanese press celebrity in the 1970s, Mr. Gao Xinjiang, known as The Most Powerful and Dynamic Person on Newpaper. Mr. Gao has served as the Chief Editor of Taiwan s China Time and Hong Kong s Ming Pao. He is a cultured man with a keen eye for aesthetics. He discovered the talents of several influential folk artists such as Hong Tong, Ju Ming, Chen Da. for nature as well as maintaining the chi energy balance between one s inner spirituality and one s world. Cloud Hands, the 10th gesture of the 24 step routine in Taichi, is a basic and integral movement in Taichi which involves waving the hands fluidly in rounded motions to defend the opponent from striking. Ju s sculptures are intrinsically linked to his mental and physical practice of practice of Taichi. His works embody a longstanding Chinese tradition embedded with rich spirituality, which makes Ju one of the most distinctive Contemporary Asian sculptors. Cloud Hands Shadow Boxing, Complementary Forces In the second set, Taichi Pair: Taichi Series-Turn Stomp and Taichi Series-Cloud Hands, created in 1985 and 1988 respectively. Taichi Series-Turn Stomp shows a figure shifting his weight to the right leg and flings his hands in the air. As he waits for the perfect opportunity to attack, he turns his body in a sideward motion, raises his leg to strike. Ju effortlessly projects both weight and the dynamic movements of a Taichi practitioner. Taichi Series- Cloud Hands is made of camphor wood. Keeping the existing structures of the wood represents Ju s respect x 30.5 x 87.5 cm No x 89 cm x 53.3 cm TH CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART