Ink and colour on paper

52 x 51 cm. 20 1/2 x 20 1/8 in.

Signed in Chinese with an artist's seal on bottom left
PROVENANCE
Original Collection of artist's family
Important Private Collection, Asia

Body of Light and Colour - Elegant Circle-Square Still Life
Lin Fengmian's Vase and Pears

In the world of 20th Century Chinese painting, the still life works of Lin Fengmian certainly realize color and subvert meaning. Whether in terms of overall arrangement, color or shapes, Lin's still life paintings created completely new visual images, making them not only an important contribution to the mediation of Eastern and Western elements but also the reform of Chinese painting.

Purifying Still Life, Controlling Color and Form

“Still life” was not considered a motif in traditional Chinese painting, until it was introduced by Lin Fengmian. In terms of style, Lin used lines that have a sense of volume and geometric shapes to depict objects. Moreover, through the “purification of shapes” the artist showcases the original “character, quality and overall color” of the object. The painting Vase and Pears is a classic example of this approach.

Multipoint Perspective, Order in Complexity

The painting has a multipoint perspective composition, creating a spatial consciousness in which the opposition and unity of the object coexists. The work is divided into multiple triangular configurations, with the kettle, bunch of flowers and wine cup on the left side as one group, juxtaposed with the pears in the vessel on the table. In contrast, the flowers, fruit and lattice window pattern with their multiple arcs are more elegant on paper, creating a visual style that highlights order in complexity and changes within a stable framework, as it showcases Lin Fengmian's exploration of Cubist school forms.

Detailed Unity of Ink and Color

In this work, Lin Fengmian also adopted the creative idea of “showcasing tonal texture with colored ink,” innovatively introducing external light and Western style tonal colors. In this context, the artist combines the powerful contrasting yellow and blue hues with the refined keynote grey, overall showcasing the color gamut tension, as the details create subtle changes. The spread of orange-yellow fragrant pears on the blue tablecloth at the center of the picture highlights the size and lusciousness of the fruit. In the background, the light yellow curtain adds color, with the light penetrating the blue-grey space serving to enhance the transparency of the indoor colors while reflecting the harmony of the yellow-blue hue. The light purple flowers in the vase in front of the window jump out as a natural part of the scene, creating a point of brightness in the mid-distance.

In terms of the “unity of ink and color,” Lin Fengmian uses the brilliance and unadorned elegance of the colors with the diversity and unity of shapes, to create the unique rhythm of his paintings as they mediate between East and West. As a result, he achieves a perfect combination of Western structure and refined colored ink, all conveyed with great vitality and verve.

Price estimate:
HKD: 800,000 – 1,500,000
USD: 103,200 – 193,500

Auction Result:
HKD: --