- 120
Chu Teh-Chun (Zhu Dequn)
Estimate
7,000,000 - 9,000,000 HKD
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Description
- Chu Teh-Chun
- Genèse (Genesis)
- oil on canvas
signed in Chinese and Pinyin and dated 93; signed in Chinese and Pinyin, titled and dated 1993 on the reverse
Provenance
Borobudur, Singapore, 9 June, 2012, lot 24
Acquired by the present owner from the above sale
Acquired by the present owner from the above sale
Condition
This work is in very good condition. There are scattered light scratches in the upper left quadrant, 45 cm to the top and 30 cm to the left; very minor wear along the upper right edge; and one minute speck of paint loss, 6 cm to the top and 18 cm to the left. Under UV light, there is one retouch 0.3 cm in length, 70 cm to the right and 25 cm to the bottom.
"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
Genèse by Chu Teh-Chun
The nothing begat all things; the Yin and Yang are called the Dao
The universe is the combination of space, time, matter and energy. The universe is the combination of space, time, matter and energy. Chinese ancient mythology talks about Pangu separating heaven and earth. It says, "The sky and the earth were one blurred entity, like an egg. Pangu was born into it. The separation of the sky and the earth took eighteen thousand years. The Yang, which was light, rose to become the sky, and the Yin, which was murky, sank to form the earth. Between them was Pangu, who went through nine changes every day, his wisdom greater than that of the sky and his ability greater than that of the earth. Every day the sky rose ten feet higher, the earth became ten feet thicker, and Pangu grew ten feet taller. Another eighteen thousand years passed. There was an extremely high sky, an extremely thick earth, and an extremely tall Pangu. Therefore the sky is ninety thousand li from the earth." Laozi also wrote in the Daodejing that "The Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, the Two gives birth to Three, and the Three gives birth to all things. All universal things shoulder the Yin and embrace the Yang. The Yin and Yang mix to produce harmony." In just a few words, it makes it clear that the Dao is the universe, and all things were produced by the harmony of the Yin and Yang.
In Western history, the influence of Christian culture has been the strongest. In the Bible, it says "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." It took God six days. He let there be light, and separated the light from the darkness. He created the water, the light, trees, fruit, the sun, the moon and the stars, birds, insects, fish, livestock, wild animals and other creatures. Finally he created man in his own image to manage it all, and he blessed the seventh day and rested from all his work.
However, all of these theories agree that the universe came out of nothing, and all the things in the world were produced out of an evolutionary process. Since the earliest civilisation, the mysteries of nature and this creation have been a perennial subject that artists have explored.
The works by the artistic giant of the Renaissance period Michelangelo (Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni) are the most famous of this type. He spent more than four years painting the Creation of Adam - the fresco in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. He depicted God and the story of the creation of all things in minute detail, and the painting became a timeless classic which had a huge influence on later works.
Self-cultivation, a connection with heaven and earth
After living abroad for several decades, Chu Teh-Chun's artistic focus moved away from a natural abstract expression of reality. He returned to his exploration of the differences between the Eastern and Western view of the universe. This 1993 work Genèse (Lot 120) is a product of this reflection.
Although the painting has an abstract composition, it has a very direct expressive power. For example, the space, mainly composed of yellowish brown, dark blue and other colours, is in motion. The clash between the middle and the upper section of the painting represents the enlightenment of separating light and dark, heaven and earth. There is an outline of chaos, with light gradually coming out of the darkness. The heaven and the earth slowly separate, and discover laws of operation and order. In addition, the painting reminds the viewer of the The Creation of Adam, where God is surrounded by a crowd of angels. He is wrapped in a large cloak, and is leisurely flying at the boundary of the sky. His fingertips stir up the life, strength and will of Adam, who is lying on the ground. It suggests the natural destiny of man to dominate over the world.
On the other hand, this work is more than just a simple tribute to the Western master Michelangelo. It is Chu Teh-Chun's attempt to return to the Chinese life perspective in order to interpret his own aesthetic thinking. Just as François Cheng (Cheng Baoyi), member of the Académie Française, said, "Man, heaven and earth together make up the universe. The existence of everything is special, therefore man combines the qualities of heaven and earth with his own. In order for man to be complete, maintaining harmony between heaven and earth is man's responsibility." This work, as it appears to the observer, is both an empty and dim chaos before the formation of the universe, and an optimistic scene in turbulence that is yet to settle. We can say that Chu Teh-Chun is not only questioning, but also applying his gradual self-cultivation and a feeling of connection with heaven and earth. It is a potential answer for you and me in unravelling the mystery of the creation of heaven and earth and the circulation of all things. Whatever angle we may choose to start looking at the painting, we will gain goodness and inspiration.
The nothing begat all things; the Yin and Yang are called the Dao
The universe is the combination of space, time, matter and energy. The universe is the combination of space, time, matter and energy. Chinese ancient mythology talks about Pangu separating heaven and earth. It says, "The sky and the earth were one blurred entity, like an egg. Pangu was born into it. The separation of the sky and the earth took eighteen thousand years. The Yang, which was light, rose to become the sky, and the Yin, which was murky, sank to form the earth. Between them was Pangu, who went through nine changes every day, his wisdom greater than that of the sky and his ability greater than that of the earth. Every day the sky rose ten feet higher, the earth became ten feet thicker, and Pangu grew ten feet taller. Another eighteen thousand years passed. There was an extremely high sky, an extremely thick earth, and an extremely tall Pangu. Therefore the sky is ninety thousand li from the earth." Laozi also wrote in the Daodejing that "The Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, the Two gives birth to Three, and the Three gives birth to all things. All universal things shoulder the Yin and embrace the Yang. The Yin and Yang mix to produce harmony." In just a few words, it makes it clear that the Dao is the universe, and all things were produced by the harmony of the Yin and Yang.
In Western history, the influence of Christian culture has been the strongest. In the Bible, it says "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." It took God six days. He let there be light, and separated the light from the darkness. He created the water, the light, trees, fruit, the sun, the moon and the stars, birds, insects, fish, livestock, wild animals and other creatures. Finally he created man in his own image to manage it all, and he blessed the seventh day and rested from all his work.
However, all of these theories agree that the universe came out of nothing, and all the things in the world were produced out of an evolutionary process. Since the earliest civilisation, the mysteries of nature and this creation have been a perennial subject that artists have explored.
The works by the artistic giant of the Renaissance period Michelangelo (Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni) are the most famous of this type. He spent more than four years painting the Creation of Adam - the fresco in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. He depicted God and the story of the creation of all things in minute detail, and the painting became a timeless classic which had a huge influence on later works.
Self-cultivation, a connection with heaven and earth
After living abroad for several decades, Chu Teh-Chun's artistic focus moved away from a natural abstract expression of reality. He returned to his exploration of the differences between the Eastern and Western view of the universe. This 1993 work Genèse (Lot 120) is a product of this reflection.
Although the painting has an abstract composition, it has a very direct expressive power. For example, the space, mainly composed of yellowish brown, dark blue and other colours, is in motion. The clash between the middle and the upper section of the painting represents the enlightenment of separating light and dark, heaven and earth. There is an outline of chaos, with light gradually coming out of the darkness. The heaven and the earth slowly separate, and discover laws of operation and order. In addition, the painting reminds the viewer of the The Creation of Adam, where God is surrounded by a crowd of angels. He is wrapped in a large cloak, and is leisurely flying at the boundary of the sky. His fingertips stir up the life, strength and will of Adam, who is lying on the ground. It suggests the natural destiny of man to dominate over the world.
On the other hand, this work is more than just a simple tribute to the Western master Michelangelo. It is Chu Teh-Chun's attempt to return to the Chinese life perspective in order to interpret his own aesthetic thinking. Just as François Cheng (Cheng Baoyi), member of the Académie Française, said, "Man, heaven and earth together make up the universe. The existence of everything is special, therefore man combines the qualities of heaven and earth with his own. In order for man to be complete, maintaining harmony between heaven and earth is man's responsibility." This work, as it appears to the observer, is both an empty and dim chaos before the formation of the universe, and an optimistic scene in turbulence that is yet to settle. We can say that Chu Teh-Chun is not only questioning, but also applying his gradual self-cultivation and a feeling of connection with heaven and earth. It is a potential answer for you and me in unravelling the mystery of the creation of heaven and earth and the circulation of all things. Whatever angle we may choose to start looking at the painting, we will gain goodness and inspiration.