Oil on canvas

99.5 x 79.5 cm. 39 1/6 x 31 2/7 in.

Signed in English and dated on bottom right

LITERATURE
2014, Artist Magazine August Issue, Artist Magazine Publishing House, Taipei, Advertisement Page
EXHIBITED
9 – 30 Aug 2014, Windows, Quiet Serenity, Light and Shade – Duo Solo Exhibition of Tsai-Chin Ni and Shaw Hwei Dong, Cathay United Art Center, Taipei

PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Asia

Appreciating Beautiful Flowers in This Moment
New Chinese Humanistic Aesthetics by Dong Shaw-hwei

Dong Shaw-hwei excels at depicting flowers. The brush strokes of her early still lifes are spontaneous and bright as she focuses on the play of light, shadow, and colors reminiscent of impressionists. Around 2005, Dong Shaw-hwei got a simple black wooden table on which she placed flowers and various utensils, and she discovered their simplicity reflects her own tranquil spiritual cultivation. The artist has been working on her notable Black Table series since 2009. A Free Day — Pink Camellia (Lot 67) and Spring Leisure — Red Camellia (Lot 66) presented in this auction are among the best of this series.

Fresh and Eye-Catching Intellectual Nourishment
Free Day — Pink Camellia is a depiction of everyday home life. The work is notable for its modern and simple composition: a fresh pink camellia flower in a simple celadon vase placed on a plain tabletop next to a small cup of tea. A closer look reveals that the crisp and beautiful flowers, the texture of the old wood, and the gentle color of the greenware are all features typical of traditional Chinese painting. The artist created a textured background to show three-dimensional play between light and shadow. Due to her use of oil paint and her modern style, it can be said that Dong Shaw-hwei created a brand new genre of oil paintings by Chinese literati.

Red Flower in Blossom — the Joy of Life
In Spring Leisure — Red Camellia, Dong utilized a single point perspective to depict a pot containing an extremely beautiful camellia plant located in the center of the picture. The black table on which the flowerpot is placed has a gentle and heavy texture. The afternoon sun shines upon two delicate, freshly bloomed flowers. Both objects on the table, the flowerpot and a book, are symbols of high culture and seem to exude a natural and radiant glow. In her works, Dong pursues traditional Chinese lyricism and serene spiritual cultivation, showing us the images of her distinctive personal life.

Price estimate:
HKD: 140,000 – 220,000
USD: 17,900 – 28,100

Auction Result:
HKD: 224,200