- 2831
Tseng Yu-Ho
Estimate
220,000 - 260,000 HKD
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Description
- Tseng Yuho
- Distant Time
- ink, aluminium, acrylic, and dsui collage on paper, framed
executed in 1991
signed in Chinese and marked with one seal of the artist
signed in Chinese and marked with one seal of the artist
Provenance
Hanart Gallery, Hong Kong.
A private Asian collection.
A private Asian collection.
Exhibited
Dsui Paintings by Tseng Yuho: A Retrospective Exhibition, organised by Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong: Shanghai Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai; China Art Museum, Beijing; Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei; Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong; National Museum of Singapore, Singapore, 1992-1993.
Twentieth Century Chinese Painting - Tradition and Innovation, organised by the Museum of East Asian Art, Cologne and the Urban Council, Hong Kong: British Museum, London; Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Cologne; Singapore Art Museum, Singapore; Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1995-1997.
Twentieth Century Chinese Painting - Tradition and Innovation, organised by the Museum of East Asian Art, Cologne and the Urban Council, Hong Kong: British Museum, London; Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Cologne; Singapore Art Museum, Singapore; Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1995-1997.
Literature
Dsui Hua: Tseng Yuho, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong, 1993, p.71, cat. no. 30.
Condition
Overall in good condition
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Born and classically trained in Beijing, Tseng Yuho left China in 1949, embarking on a journey of artistic discovery that has left a strong legacy in the world of modern Chinese painting. Distant Time is emblematic of Tseng's mature artistic style that effortlessly incorporates the structure of a traditional Chinese landscape painting with the innovative "Dsui" collage technique. (Dsui can best be described by the French-term assemblage, but the Chinese word literally refers to the method of creating a patchwork quilt).
After moving from Beijing to Hawaii, Tseng augmented her classical training with a fervent dive into Western painting technique. During the 1950s, she traveled extensively in Europe with her husband—the art historian Gustav Ecke—and befriended some of the most prominent artists of the time, including Braque, Max Ernst and Georges Mathieu. "Almost every person I met in Paris expressed their admiration for ancient Chinese civilization. Man Ray, for example, told me how much he envied the Chinese [for] their art of calligraphy, the purest and most meaningful form of abstraction."1Stemming from these relationships and subsequent artistic experimentation, Tseng embarked on her career of Dsui painting, which evidenced a life-long a commitment to self-expression, consummate aesthetic refinement, and engagement in the immediate creative process.
With a hint of nostalgia, Distant Time captures the essential beauty and grace in both nature and Tseng Yuho's art. Herein Tseng employs the Dsui technique, layering aluminum leaf squares between layers of handmade xuan paper. The metal leaf shows seams that naturally divide the surface into planes and represent a division in perspective between the foreground and mountains. With minimal description, faint brushstrokes of color and lines articulate the contours of a majestic landscape. The rugged formations of Hawaii's volcanic rock often inspired the landscapes in Tseng's paintings, which she referred to as her 'rhythmic realities'.
Beneath the surface of visual abstraction, there is a sense of deep antiquity present in her works. The vertical composition recalls the monumental landscapes of Song dynasty painting. The dotted shadows are reminiscent of the atmospheric landscapes by Mi Fu (Song, 1051-1107). The faint shimmer of the aluminum provides a sense of decadence and alludes to the metallic colors of religious paintings. In her own words, Tseng expresses deep admiration for Ni Zan (Yuan, 1301-1374) and Hongren (Qing, 1610-1663); "Their passions are contained, and are expressed simply, yet their paintings remain imbued with meaningful tension, unlike those works lacking in real compassion where mannerisms are revealed as mere empty shells."2
As an artist and scholar, Tseng Yuho transcends cultural boundaries. Disciplined in classical Chinese painting and calligraphy, as well as Western realism and color field techniques, her paintings are a legacy of innovation in modern Chinese painting. Distant Time was prominently featured in the traveling retrospective exhibition of her art that recognized Tseng as one of the pre-eminent Chinese painters of the 20th century.
After moving from Beijing to Hawaii, Tseng augmented her classical training with a fervent dive into Western painting technique. During the 1950s, she traveled extensively in Europe with her husband—the art historian Gustav Ecke—and befriended some of the most prominent artists of the time, including Braque, Max Ernst and Georges Mathieu. "Almost every person I met in Paris expressed their admiration for ancient Chinese civilization. Man Ray, for example, told me how much he envied the Chinese [for] their art of calligraphy, the purest and most meaningful form of abstraction."1Stemming from these relationships and subsequent artistic experimentation, Tseng embarked on her career of Dsui painting, which evidenced a life-long a commitment to self-expression, consummate aesthetic refinement, and engagement in the immediate creative process.
With a hint of nostalgia, Distant Time captures the essential beauty and grace in both nature and Tseng Yuho's art. Herein Tseng employs the Dsui technique, layering aluminum leaf squares between layers of handmade xuan paper. The metal leaf shows seams that naturally divide the surface into planes and represent a division in perspective between the foreground and mountains. With minimal description, faint brushstrokes of color and lines articulate the contours of a majestic landscape. The rugged formations of Hawaii's volcanic rock often inspired the landscapes in Tseng's paintings, which she referred to as her 'rhythmic realities'.
Beneath the surface of visual abstraction, there is a sense of deep antiquity present in her works. The vertical composition recalls the monumental landscapes of Song dynasty painting. The dotted shadows are reminiscent of the atmospheric landscapes by Mi Fu (Song, 1051-1107). The faint shimmer of the aluminum provides a sense of decadence and alludes to the metallic colors of religious paintings. In her own words, Tseng expresses deep admiration for Ni Zan (Yuan, 1301-1374) and Hongren (Qing, 1610-1663); "Their passions are contained, and are expressed simply, yet their paintings remain imbued with meaningful tension, unlike those works lacking in real compassion where mannerisms are revealed as mere empty shells."2
As an artist and scholar, Tseng Yuho transcends cultural boundaries. Disciplined in classical Chinese painting and calligraphy, as well as Western realism and color field techniques, her paintings are a legacy of innovation in modern Chinese painting. Distant Time was prominently featured in the traveling retrospective exhibition of her art that recognized Tseng as one of the pre-eminent Chinese painters of the 20th century.
1. Tseng Yuho. "By Design: The Art of Tseng Yuho" Kaikodo Gallery, New York, 2000.
2. Ibid.