- 1359
YU FEI'AN | Morning Glories
Estimate
2,200,000 - 3,000,000 HKD
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Description
- Yu Fei'an
- Morning Glories
- ink and colour on paper, framed
- 67.5 by 44 cm. 26 5/8 by 17 3/8 in.
signed FEI'AN, inscribed, and with one seal of the artistINSCRIPTION:When I first studied Gongbi (elaborated style) flower painting technique twenty-four years ago, I started with morning glories. At that time, I only knew how to imitate the appearance of flowers using calligraphic techniques. As for the bone-like brushstroke as described in the Six Principles, my understanding was far from adequate. Lately I have been able to get up early to greet the morning sun, and watch my flowers flourish and grow. They seem even more vibrant and delightful than when I first learnt how to paint. I spent a day and did my utmost and paint this. Fei'an at age seventy.
Provenance
Sotheby's Hong Kong, Fine Chinese Paintings, Apr 2003, Lot 618
Exhibited
Taipei, Shi Jh Tang, Mist & Clouds in the Capital - Northern Painting Circles during 1911-1949, October 4 to November 3, 2002
Hong Kong, Sotheby’s, Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy from 20th Century Masters: The Goldbell Collection, October 2-6, 2015
Hong Kong, Sotheby’s, Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy from 20th Century Masters: The Goldbell Collection, October 2-6, 2015
Literature
Mist & Clouds in the Capital - Northern Painting Circles during 1911-1949, Shi Jr Tang Press Co. Ltd., Taipei, October 2002, p.75
Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy from 20th Century Masters: The Goldbell Collection, Sotheby's Hong Kong Limited, October 2015, pl.1
Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy from 20th Century Masters: The Goldbell Collection, Sotheby's Hong Kong Limited, October 2015, pl.1
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."
"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
Yu Fei’an created this painting around 1958. His inscription states that twenty four years earlier (in 1934) he began exploring gongbi floral painting by painting morning glories. But his paintings of morning glories are rare among his surviving works, which tend to depict camellias, peonies, lamei plum blossoms and lotuses. However, there is a painting of this subject matter created by Yu on 1st August, 1958 (the Founding Day of the People’s Liberation Army) in the Beijing Fine Art Academy, which bears a poetic inscription comparing morning glories and the sounding of horns in the name of the socialist movement. Such political significance may be the reason why he was drawn to morning glories during this period.
The present painting is modest in size but sensitively composed. Rendered in three different colours, the blossoms are posed at different heights and angles, some half-concealed by the leaves. The plant’s bright colour palette and dense branches express its vitality. Yu used layered washes of colours, varying in density and tone, to suggest the plant’s volume and rich textures. It is a sublime example of his aesthetic vision rooted in his close observations from life. Created only a year prior to his death, this painting is characteristically virtuosic and extremely compelling.
The present painting is modest in size but sensitively composed. Rendered in three different colours, the blossoms are posed at different heights and angles, some half-concealed by the leaves. The plant’s bright colour palette and dense branches express its vitality. Yu used layered washes of colours, varying in density and tone, to suggest the plant’s volume and rich textures. It is a sublime example of his aesthetic vision rooted in his close observations from life. Created only a year prior to his death, this painting is characteristically virtuosic and extremely compelling.