Lot 1362
  • 1362

YU FEI'AN | Seasonal Vegetables and Fruits

Estimate
1,500,000 - 2,000,000 HKD
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Description

  • Yu Fei'an
  • Seasonal Vegetables and Fruits
  • ink and colour on silk, hanging scroll
  • 82.5 by 49.5 cm. 32 1/2 by 19 1/2 in.
signed FEI'AN, inscribed, and with two seals of the artistINSCRIPTION:I painted Seasonal Vegetables and Fruits based on my observations at the greenhouse, but it is not entirely satisfactory. In the new year, I brought my young daughter to the grocery market. The only greenhouse produce available was pointed gourd, Qin pepper,snow peas, tomatoes, but they were not exactly fresh. Aubergines, peas and berries, which were usually found, were not available. This proves that demand is greater than supply, and there is a need for production to increase significantly. This painting was based on a draft I had on the greenhouse, completed using the outlining technique, although I am still not completely satisfied.

Provenance

Sotheby's Hong Kong, Fine Chinese Paintings, Oct 2008, Lot 1055

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

Traditional into Contemporary – Masterpieces from the Great Contemporary Chinese Painters, Shi Jh Tang Press Co. Ltd., Taipei, December 2009, p.103
Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy from 20th Century Masters: The Goldbell Collection, Sotheby's Hong Kong Limited, October 2015, pl.8

Catalogue Note

Yu Fei’an created this painting on 4 January, 1952, during the dead of winter. In his inscription he uses the term dongzi (caves) to describe the greenhouses where produce is farmed and harvested during the winter months.

This picture of cuijin (assorted treasures) shows a collection of the different fruits and vegetables Yu saw in the winter greenhouses. It is the only known example of this subject. Yu often painted flowers, but apart from a few paintings of radishes and Chinese white cabbage, hardly ever did he paint fruits or vegetables. His inscription suggests that some were drawn from life, while others were based on old sketches. He writes that fruit and vegetables were “in short supply” at the time, with some not yet commercially available, reflecting the state of agriculture in the early days of the People’s Republic.

Richly coloured, his subjects display a wide range of textures and forms and appear to be freshly picked. The silk support lends itself to the subtle layering of colour washes, and allows Yu Fei’an to capture the succulent, juicy nature of the fruit. Although he humbly claims he was “not satisfied” with this informal attempt, the painstaking care and effort he took in its execution is evident in the fine details of the painting.