Lot 1239
  • 1239

ZHAO SHAO'ANG | Willows by the Lakeside

Estimate
1,200,000 - 1,500,000 HKD
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Description

  • Zhao Shao'ang
  • Willows by the Lakeside
  • ink and colour on paper, framed
  • 60.8 by 105.3 cm. 24 3/8 by 41 1/2 in.
signed SHAO'ANG, dated 1961, inscribed, and with three seals of the artist INSCRIPTION:The second lunar month of xinchou year, 1961, spring. Shao'ang painted the lakeside scenery in Golden Gate, Oakland.

Provenance

Sotheby's Hong Kong, Fine Chinese Paintings, Oct 2008, Lot 1014

Exhibited

Taipei, National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Traditional into Contemporary – Masterpieces from the Great Contemporary Chinese Painters, December 5, 2009 to January 27, 2010
Hong Kong, Sotheby’s, Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy from 20th Century Masters: The Goldbell Collection, October 2-6, 2015

Literature

Light House Monthly, issue 63, Christian Witness Press, Hong Kong, September 1, 1961, p.2
Traditional into Contemporary – Masterpieces from the Great Contemporary
Chinese Painters, Xi Zhi Tang Publishing Co., Ltd., Taipei, December 2009, p.232-233
Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy from 20th Century Masters: The Goldbell Collection, Sotheby's Hong Kong Limited, October 2015, pl.34

Condition

-Generally 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."

Catalogue Note

In March 1960, Zhao Shao’ang was invited to hold an exhibition at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. He spent almost a year in the United States, where he lectured, gave painting demonstrations, and exhibited at various museum and universities along the West coast, where he was warmly received.

During his stay, he visited scenic sites and created a number of sketches from life. However, only a few of them were later developed into full-fledged paintings, and the present work is one of them. Willows by the Lakeside depicts the shore of a lake in Oakland: wild yellow flowers scattered over a field of grass interspersed with weeping willow trees, enfolding a curtain of rustling green on the upper part of the painting. The surface of the lake, smooth as a mirror, reflects the clear blue sky, punctuated only by a few white sails afar. The artist used fine brushwork and a beautiful palette of mainly light blues and verdant greens hues, rendering tonal changes on the lake with subtle washes, characteristic of the Lingnan School and reminiscent of Western watercolours. This is undoubtedly an outstanding work from the painter’s most productive period.