Bronze Sculpture Edition: 4/8

47.5x11.5x19 cm. 18 7/8 x 4 1/2 x 7 1/2 in.

Signed in English and Chinese, numbered on the bottom left of the base; credited and dated on the edge of the base

LITERATURE (different edition)
2014, Breeze from Paris, Eslite Gallery, Taipei, p.162
EXHIBITED (different edition)
1 – 30 May 2010, Perfection•Serenity•Substance•Unrestraint Chen Hsia-Yu, Hsiung Ping-Ming, Hsia Yan Sculpture Exhibition, Eslite Gallery, Taipei
31 May – 29 Jun 2014, Breeze from Paris, Eslite Gallery, Taipei
23 Nov – 15 Dec 2019, The Journey of Defining Yourself- Art Exhibition of Hsiung Ping-Ming, National Art Museum of China, Beijing

PROVENANCE
Eslite Gallery, Taipei
Private Collection, Asia

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Eslite Gallery

Viewing the World With a True Heart
The Spiritual Essence of Hsiung Ping-ming's Sculpture

Hsiung Ping-Ming was born in Nanjing in 1922 and after graduating from the Philosophy Department at National Southwestern Associated University received a public scholarship to undertake studies in the faculty of arts at the University of Paris. From a young age Hsiung was passionate about the work of modern sculpting master Auguste Rodin, and after being encouraged by Wu Guanzhong, a friend in the art department, he studied art with Gimmond a professor in the sculpture department at the National School of Fine Arts, combining Eastern and western elements in surprising ways. In 1983, Hsiung received a Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques from the French Ministry of Education and his works have been collected by various art institutions, including the Geneva Art Museum, Taipei Fine Arts Museum and Musée des Arts et Métiers etc. He also created a large sculpture titled Willing Buffalo for Nanjing University. In 2019, the National Art Museum of China held a large scale retrospective exhibition titled The Journey of Defining Yourself: Art Exhibition of Hsiung Ping-Ming at which the early piece Young Girl and another version of the classic motif work Buffalo with Flat Belly, the two pieces currently being auctioned, were shown. The academic and market position of these sculptures make them highly valued additions to any collection.

Full-figured, High-spirited and Genuinely Noble

In 1952, Hsiung Ping-Ming married Swiss national Dorothea Pestalozzi and the joy he found in their new life together was reflected in a series of works that revolved around females as a motif. In the same year Hsiung received a bronze medal for Young Girl which he submitted at a French artists' salon. This was the first award the artist won in his career, which gives the piece a unique place in his artistic oeuvre. Created in 1955, Young Girl is also an important representative work for the era. The sculpture depicts a young girl with a bob haircut, long slender limbs, round and soft cheeks, her head held high in a posture that exudes a steadfast self confidence. The piece brims with youthfulness, but the introspective pose and expression speak to a quiet transcendent refinement. This is also an emotional testament to the way in which Hsiung maintains his sense of self and embraces art with philosophy.

Rugged and Willing Buffalos

In the years that followed, Hsiung's sculptures became increasingly refined and many appeared in top competitions in the Parisian art work held by May salons, New Realist salons, Comparative salons etc. There were also solo exhibitions in such places as Paris, Zurchi and Munich. From 1961, the artist was influenced by the spirit of Lu Xun as expressed in the phrase: “opposing the enemy resolutely and being willing to serve the people” and began to produce a series of works that focused on the ox, just as he reached the pinnacle of his artistic career. In a country such as China which is primarily rural, the “ox” (buffalo) is considered an important symbol of diligence and being down to earth. Moreover, its image of silent perseverance is in many ways also a reflection of the life of Hsiung Ping-Ming, who dedicated himself to art. In Buffalo with Flat Belly (1997-2001), the artist's excellent iron art showcases the proud and rugged nature of the ox. In this context, the raised head of the animal is akin to the indomitable spirit of artists such as Hsiung, who lived and studied overseas in turbulent times, but went on to create something unique in Chinese art history.

Price estimate:
HKD: 280,000 – 380,000
USD: 36,100 – 49,000

Auction Result:
HKD: 330,400