Wu Guanzhong

Provenance according to catalogue note of Lot 520, Fine Chinese Paintings, Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 28 April, 2003: “This painting was directly acquired from the artist. In late 1980s, the owner was keen in collecting works by Mr. Wu Guanzhong, and visited him in Beijing. The artist brought his works and met the collector in the hotel where he stayed; the collector then acquired all these works in which this painting was included. These works also include Viewing Fish painted in 1974 (see Sotheby’s 1994 April Sale Catalogue, Lot 153)”
Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 28 April, 2003, lot 520
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Shui Tianzhong & Wang Hua, The Complete Works of Wu Guanzhong Vol.III, Hunan Fine Arts Publishing House, Changsha, 2007, p. 213

This work is in overall very good condition except a minor paint loss at the upper middle area. There is no apparent inpainting under UV light examination.
"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."

Two Decades of Refinement  

Wu Guanzhong New Bamboos Alongside the Li River

For Wu Guanzhong, painting was a continual process of refinement throughout the artist’s entire life. His “Lijiang” series began in the 1970s, spanning over two decades, through a rigorous process of development, offering profound insights into the study of the artist’s journey in combining Chinese and Western artistic inspirations. The present piece New Bamboos Alongside the Li River (Lot 1036) was created in 1985. At the time, Wu Guanzhong was already exceptionally accomplished in his oil paintings. By introducing the language of classical Chinese painting, the subtle elegance of ink painting was infused into the vibrant colours and rich texture of oil, taking his artistic creation to a new level of depth, capturing the essence of Chinese and Western fine art to achieve his goal of making oil painting a medium in Chinese fine art.  Consequently, this can be seen as a classic in the Lijiang series.

Wu Guanzhong’s artistic journey began with landscape sketches, and his paintings were closely linked to his personal journey. It was often possible to retrace his footsteps to the exact year or even month. In 1972, the artist had spent six years in the Cultural Revolution, with painting having been forbidden. On his way to Guiyang to see his mother-in-law, he stopped in Guilin to draw some landscape sketches, marking the beginning of the journey of his Lijiang series spanning two decades. The composition of New Bamboos Alongside the Li River is one of the artist’s favourites. From 1970s to 1990s, he had created six pieces using the same subject and composition, including four created in the 1970s. His passion for the Lijiang series was apparent and he seemed endlessly inspired by it. The present piece is the only one created in the 1980s.

The immaculate composition of New Bamboos Alongside the Li River displays a feature typical in Western oil paintings. The artist employed an aerial perspective to give a sense of depth, such that the level of details and colours of the landscape decrease with distance, hence a perspective consistent with the human vision. Consequently, the bamboo plant is portrayed in great details from branches to leaves, while the windows of the houses further away can be perceived but with less clarity, and the mountains in the distance are only a silhouette. Aerial perspective first emerged in the West in 1st century BC, and it possesses a more oriental sensibility compared to the linear perspective. In order to emphasise the sense of openness of Lijiang, the artist deliberately introduced the foreground image of long and slender bamboo plants in front of the river, strengthening the sense of distance between the houses at the other shore and the viewer. The three elements are closely knitted, forming a flexible yet robust composition.