- 571
Luo Zhongli
Estimate
400,000 - 500,000 HKD
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Description
- Luo Zhongli
- Walking Together
- oil on paper
signed in pinyin
Provenance
Private Asian Collection
Condition
This work is overall in very good condition. There is a general undulation of the surface.
There is no evidence of restoration under UV light.
"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
The Power of Realism
Social Engagement in Luo Zhongli's Art
Most notable in Luo Zhongli's work is the implicit rendering of subject and the articulate handling of oil paint, which he executes with seemingly effortless precision and ease. His early artistic style is commonly thought to have been attributed to the Russian realist style, of which Luo continuously sought inspiration from. His first painting of note, entitled Father, is to this day one of the most representative hyper-realist paintings in China. Through intense study of the old masters, Luo started to develop his own distinctive style from the 1980s, enabling a more relaxed state of mind as well as stronger confidence in his work. From Walking Together (Lot 571), the viewer is able to see a movement from his previous style as the artist begins to incorporate elements of surrealism and primitivism into his work, further evident in the exaggeration of eyes and hands in the figures, which have been extravagantly enlarged. The fervent brushwork and bold exaggeration of colors are common trademarks of the artist, and in this case, has been adopted to portray the farmers' humble but respectable daily life, capturing a poignant moment of emotion as the farmers run from the rain with their baby and livestock. As a whole, the artist captures an animated moment of drama through the explicit inclusion of heightened color and tone, creating an aesthetically pleasing piece as well as an emotive one.
The representation of figures in Receiving the Fire (Lot 572) and Young Lady at the Mill (Lot 573) are exceedingly different to the style seen in Walking Together, explicitly revealing the painter's technical flexibility. Intricate detail and a clearer sense of naturalism are distinctive features in the two pieces, further outlined by the smaller eyes and proportionate figures, which lend the figures a heightened sense of youth and innocence. In Receiving the Fire, Luo depicts a girl and a boy in an intimate setting, concentrated within a fire at the center of the canvas, which also marks the main focal point of the piece. The keen sense of intimacy and warmth is embodied by the use of "chiaroscuro" - the classical Italian technique of contrasting light and shade to create a more vividly dramatic atmosphere. Compared with the warmer tones of brown and red in Receiving the Fire, Luo incorporates slightly more metallic hues of green and blue in Young Lady at the Mill to create a softer and tender atmosphere, and to enhance the dewy meadow in the background. The strong light which permeates from the top of the canvas lends the painting a romantic sensibility, akin to the typical Romantic style of the notable 19th-Century artist Caspar David Friedrich.
Social Engagement in Luo Zhongli's Art
Most notable in Luo Zhongli's work is the implicit rendering of subject and the articulate handling of oil paint, which he executes with seemingly effortless precision and ease. His early artistic style is commonly thought to have been attributed to the Russian realist style, of which Luo continuously sought inspiration from. His first painting of note, entitled Father, is to this day one of the most representative hyper-realist paintings in China. Through intense study of the old masters, Luo started to develop his own distinctive style from the 1980s, enabling a more relaxed state of mind as well as stronger confidence in his work. From Walking Together (Lot 571), the viewer is able to see a movement from his previous style as the artist begins to incorporate elements of surrealism and primitivism into his work, further evident in the exaggeration of eyes and hands in the figures, which have been extravagantly enlarged. The fervent brushwork and bold exaggeration of colors are common trademarks of the artist, and in this case, has been adopted to portray the farmers' humble but respectable daily life, capturing a poignant moment of emotion as the farmers run from the rain with their baby and livestock. As a whole, the artist captures an animated moment of drama through the explicit inclusion of heightened color and tone, creating an aesthetically pleasing piece as well as an emotive one.
The representation of figures in Receiving the Fire (Lot 572) and Young Lady at the Mill (Lot 573) are exceedingly different to the style seen in Walking Together, explicitly revealing the painter's technical flexibility. Intricate detail and a clearer sense of naturalism are distinctive features in the two pieces, further outlined by the smaller eyes and proportionate figures, which lend the figures a heightened sense of youth and innocence. In Receiving the Fire, Luo depicts a girl and a boy in an intimate setting, concentrated within a fire at the center of the canvas, which also marks the main focal point of the piece. The keen sense of intimacy and warmth is embodied by the use of "chiaroscuro" - the classical Italian technique of contrasting light and shade to create a more vividly dramatic atmosphere. Compared with the warmer tones of brown and red in Receiving the Fire, Luo incorporates slightly more metallic hues of green and blue in Young Lady at the Mill to create a softer and tender atmosphere, and to enhance the dewy meadow in the background. The strong light which permeates from the top of the canvas lends the painting a romantic sensibility, akin to the typical Romantic style of the notable 19th-Century artist Caspar David Friedrich.