Thanks to the joint nourishment of Eastern and Western cultures, Chinese modern and contemporary artists since the 20th century not only have profound attainments in technique, but also have very distinctive personal characteristics in the integration of painting language and unique creativity. With a strong focus on this sector and a strong focus on its academic and historical value, Yongle Autumn Auction 2023 will present classic works by collectors at home and abroad, including Zhu Yuanzhi, Guan Liang, Wei Tianlin, Chen Junde, Luo Erchun, Chen Yifei, Luo Zhongli, and many others.
Zhu Yuanzhi. As a pioneer of modern art, Zhu Yuanzhi's creation has always pursued the dialogue and exchange between Chinese and Western art, and the "diamondism" he pioneered is unique. "Portrait of My Dear Chinese Friend" depicts a Chinese friend sitting on a sofa in a realistic style, and the images of Chinese-style castle towers and coconut trees on the gray walls also hint at the identity, region, and cultural attributes of the protagonist. The iconic "Diamondism" technique highlights the image of the figures, and the low-saturation color palette is also just the right combination of Western modernist theory and Oriental temperament.
Lot 2007 Zhu Yuanzhi (1906-1963) Portrait of my dear Chinese friend
Painted in the 1920s-30s, oil on board.
50.5×38cm
Signed: yungee
Publication: Zhu Yuanzhi, Grand Future Gallery Art ***, 1995, p35
Exhibition: 1Zhu Yuanzhi, Future Gallery, Taipei, 1995.
2.Yongle Chinese Art Exhibition, Fantasy Art Center, Beijing, September 2020 Lakeside University Auditorium, Hangzhou, October 2020 Ping An Financial Center, Shenzhen, November 2020 Shanghai Exhibition Center, Shanghai, November 2020.
Guan Liang. Guan Liang is a maverick artist in the history of Chinese art in the 20th century, who combines the painting concepts of Western modernism with traditional Chinese ink painting, with extremely distinctive personal language characteristics and profound national characteristics. In 1924, Guan Liang returned to China to teach at the Shanghai Art College and participated in the first exhibition of the Shanghai Oriental Art Research Association, which attracted the attention and appreciation of the art world. The apple and pear presented this time is a work of this period, his early oil paintings are very rare, and still life paintings are even rarer, this work can be said to fill the gap in Guan Liang's work sequence, but also write a more complete map of the development of early Chinese oil painting.
Lot 2008 Guan Liang (1900-1986) Apples and pears
Oil on canvas in 1924.
33x38cm
Publication: 1Guan Liang's Centennial Exhibition, Future Art***p67
2.Guan Liang, Shanghai People's Fine Arts Publishing House, 2009, p124
Exhibitions: Guan Liang Centennial Exhibition, Future Art Gallery, Taipei, 2000.
Wei Tianlin. Wei Tianlin is known for his excellent grasp of color in the history of modern Chinese oil painting, and was one of the first artists to introduce Impressionist techniques into China. Created in 1970, "Peach" was originally in the collection of the Art Museum of Capital Normal University, and was later returned to Wei Tianlin's fifth female Wei Qian for preservation after negotiation. The subject matter, composition, and color of this work are typical of the artist's late art style, representing the highest level of his life's creation.
Lot 2009 Wei Tianlin (1898-1977) Peaches
Oil on canvas in 1970.
41x55cm
Publication: 1Wei Tianlin's Oil Paintings, Hunan Fine Arts Publishing House, 1998, p56
2.Fever in Solitude: The Biography of Wei Tianlin, Capital Normal University Press, 2012, p295
Exhibition: Wei Tianlin's Posthumous Exhibition, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, 1980.
Chen Junde. In his early years, Chen Junde studied under Liu Haisu, Lin Fengmian, Guan Liang, etc., and his works not only retain the texture of Western oil painting, but also embody the aesthetic spirit of Chinese literati painting. "The Poetry of Lilies" is a masterpiece of Chen Junde's late still life creation. The whole painting celebrates the blooming years of life with indulgence in a high degree of generalization and simplicity, so that the viewer can feel the passage of time and the splendor of life in the flashes of light.
Lot 2010 Chen Junde (1936-2019) The Poetry of Lily
In 2012, he painted oil on canvas.
75x63cm
Publication: 1Symphony of Life: Chen Junde's Painting Art Exhibition Collection, Ningbo Art Museum, 2022, p93
2 Morning in Shanghai – Chen Junde, Momentum Space, 2023, p35
Exhibition: 1Symphony of Life - Chen Junde Painting Art Exhibition, Ningbo Art Museum, Ningbo, 2022.
2.Morning in Shanghai – Chen Junde, Momentum Space, Beijing, 2023.
Rohr Chun. Portrait of a Woman is a masterpiece of the late part of Rahr's pure artistic career. The background is paved with pure white, yellow and gray blocks, and the simple geometric division not only creates a realistic sense of space, but also highlights the image and charm of the protagonist. The artist borrowed from Modigliani's approach to human forming, slightly deforming his colleague with a moderately elongated body, and shaping an elegant and delicate silhouette with smart lines. The thick and diverse brushstrokes are stacked layer by layer, intertwined and staggered, creating different texture effects and rendering a warm and quiet atmosphere.
Lot 2014 Luo Erchun (1930-2015) Portrait of a woman
Oil on canvas in 2006.
100x80cm
Publication: 1Luo Erchun, Baja Gallery, 2012, p107
2.Return to the Waves: The Collected Works of Luo Erchun, Hebei Education Press, 2012, p189
3.Great Beauty to Simplicity - 20th Century Chinese Oil Painting Masters Luo Erchun, National Art Museum of China, 2015, p160
Exhibition: 1Luo Erchun's New Works Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, 2012.
2.Beauty to Park: Luo Erchun Art Exhibition, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, 2015.
Chen Yifei. Lauded for his oriental sensibilities and captivating romanticism, Chen Yifei is both a pioneer of contemporary Chinese oil painting and a communicator between Eastern and Western cultures. Ladies are one of Chen Yifei's most enthusiastic subjects, often in line shape, showing charm between a few strokes, with a unique style. This "Lady Picture" presents a typical oriental style with an ingenious layout and ingenious prop settings. The gradient of dark backgrounds sets off the figures, creating a quiet and mysterious atmosphere.
Lot 2012 Chen Yifei (1946-2005) Lady on canvas.
144x199cm
Signed: chenyifei Chen Yifei.
Luo Zhongli. "Lotus Pond" is one of Luo Zhongli's most exquisite and rich masterpieces in the theme of "Daba Mountain". The work shows the most primitive, touching and vital emotions in a quiet moment, leaving an original ecological record for the life changes of farmers in Daba Mountain for decades.
Lot 2013 Luo Zhongli (b.).1948) Lotus Pond
In 1994, he painted oil on canvas.
95.5×130cm
Signed: luozhongli 1994 Luo.
Publication: 1Luo Zhongli's Paintings, China Academy of Fine Arts Press, 1994, p35
2.《'96 Shanghai Art Biennale, Shanghai Art Museum, 1996, p21
Exhibition: 1Luo Zhongli Belgian Solo Exhibition, National Historical Museum, Brussels, Belgium, 1995.
2.96 Shanghai Art Biennale, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, 1996.