Ink and colour on paper

33.3 × 33.3cm. × 2 13 1/8 × 13 1/8 in. × 2

Signed in Chinese with artist's seal on bottom left of the left piece and bottom right of the right piece
EXHIBITED
6-28 Mar 2010, Peerless Grace―― Hangzhou National Academy of Fine Arts, Tina Keng Gallery, Taipei

PROVENANCE
29 May 2005, Christie's Hong Kong Spring Auction, Lot 534
Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above

Note: Labels from Peerless Grace―― Hangzhou National Academy of Fine Arts Exhibition of Tina Keng Gallery, Taipei are affixed on the reverse of each piece

Due To This Betrayal, My Legend is Passed on for Centuries
Lin Fengmian's Two Classic Works of Still Life and Character

Lin Fengmian is a dazzling pearl in the Chinese art scene of the 20th century. With his adventurous spirit and unrelenting attitude to pioneer styles that had not been found before, he integrated the essence of Western art and traditional Chinese art into his brush and ink paintings. Adding a touch of his rich life experience, perceptions, and philosophies, he created moving sceneries. Lin was only 25 years old when he was invited to return to China to serve as the principal of the Peking National Art School in 1925. He then founded the Hangzhou National Art School, which trained Zao Wou-Ki, Chu Teh-Chun, Wu Guanzhong, and other talented artists. In this auction, we present Lin's still-life paintings created during the pinnacle of his career, Gold Fish and the Still Life (Lot 78) and Leisure (Lot 77). Both were acquired by important present Asian collectors and have been kept in the collections for nearly 20 years. The pieces are exemplary works of Lin's remarkable achievements on the two classic themes of his art career, which hold immensive significance.

Goldfish and the Still Life presented here was completed in 1959. The artist deviated from traditional model painting methods and integrated geometric figures of Cubism, the subjective colouring methods of Fauvism, and Expressionism into the piece. Through the colour palette, brush strokes, and composition, Lin incorporated a blend of Western and Chinese art elements, highlighting the idea of “save the essence, remove the excess”, turning a new page in the history of contemporary art.

Joy Known by the Fish, Manifested through the Harmony of Ink and Colour

In traditional Chinese culture, the “fish” is a symbol of abundant life and continuous prosperity. Since ancient times, the fish has been a favourite subject for artists. For example, Qi Baishi's fish is represented with a unique style that was praised by Pablo Picasso. Picasso compliments, “Chinese painting is amazing. Qi Baishi paints fish in water and without using any colour or line to paint the water, he effectively prompts viewers into visualizing the river and smelling the fragrance of the water.” Although Qi Baishi painted fish with mere flowing lines and blank spaces, he was able to present the posture of the fish's body. Qi Baishi painted fish through flowing lines and blank spaces, presenting the posture of the fish's body with minimalism and elegance. Elaborating on the same concept, Lin Fengmian further organized objects with thick layers of colour, a technique from Western painting.

In Goldfish and the Still Life, Lin boldly placed white, red, black, and orange colour blocks in a transparent fish bowl, depicting the different postures of the abstract goldfish by using light and heavy brush strokes, short and long patterns to depict the gestures of the goldfish. Red and white are used as the main colours to paint the body of the goldfish. The transparent and colourness glass bowl forms a virtual image containing the goldfish, creating an anaphoric relationship between the goldfish and the container, deviating from the Expressionist techniques of traditional literati painting, Lin's work provided Chinese painting with an unprecedented colour expression technique.

The Oriental Matisse: Illustrating the Graceful Contours and Spatiality Beyond the Table

Lin Fengmian inheritd the styles of Chinese porcelain and Henri Matisse's Fauvist painting. The essence of these styles is manifested in Lin's smooth brushwork and rhythmic lines. In Goldfish and the Still Life, Lin outlined the objects on the table with neat white lines, showing the contrast between emptiness and fullness. The pears and grapes in the foreground and the goldfish bowl in the lower right corner symbolize the beauty and abundance of life. The interspersed vases and wine glasses are all empty, subtly representing a sense of visual balance and drawing attention to the colourful objects behind the table, which are the window lattices and the flowers. The rhombus-shaped dark-coloured window lattices at the back reflect Lin's favourite motif of green mountains and beautiful waters; while the blue-coloured screen in the middle depicts abstract images of Oriental style through delicate and short brushstrokes. The ink colour employs replicates the decorative patterns Matisse is famous for. On the right, red and yellow roses are presented, inciting olfactory imagery of floral fragrance, echoing the sugary fruits sitting on the table and manifesting the artist's personal yearning for a better life. Despite the abundance of elements, Lin Fengmian subtly divided the painting with white lines. The thin white lines create a translucent crystalline feel, adding a touch of lightness to the painting.

A Revolutionary Undertaking, Harmonizing the Juxtaposing Forms of Round and Angled Shapes

In the centre of the square composition of Goldfish and the Still Life is a rectangular table top presented at a top-down angle. Objects of different shapes are placed on the table: A round fruit plate and a conical glass, placed in a manner that forms a rectangle collectively. It is a multi-level structure with the circular shapes of the objects expanding outward from the centre and forming the four corners of the rectangle. The tension of the circular shapes form a parallel rectangular shape, creating a balance in the different sturdiness of the objects and constructing a unified geometric space that is orderly, unified, and complete. Influenced by Cezanne's philosophy that “all objects are formed from spheres, cones and cylinders”, Lin Fengmian employed geometric colour blocks as a basis for the shapes of each object in Goldfish and the Still Life. Creating three-dimensional perspectives on the two-dimensional canvas, Lin brought unprecedented modeling innovation to Chinese modern painting.

Clear Provenance, Rare Offer

Goldfish and the Still Life debuted at Christie's Taipei in 1998 and was in possession of an important private collector in Asia for over twenty years. During the “20th Anniversary of Christie's Hong Kong” event in 2006, this piece stood out from more than 10,000 lots and was selected to be included in the 20th Anniversary catalogue, demonstrating its provenance and rarity. This release is a wonderful opportunity for collectors.

The Beauty of Neutrality; the Contentment in Solitude

“The beauty of art is like the beauty of the most affectionate lady in the whole world. No matter what kind of negative sentiments a person has, she will be the first person to provide the kind of warmth and comfort he wants.”

――Lin Fengmian

We also present Lin Fengmian's classic two-piece portrait depicting two ladies, Leisure. The piece is an exemplar of Lin's unique artistic style in his paintings of ladies, which often include two ladies sitting side-by-side, each holding an object and mirroring the gesture of one another. The contours of the female physique mimic the elegance of Matisse's female protagonists, showing Lin's ability to integrate ancient artistic elements with modern characteristics, creating a piece that perfectly balances out the notion of “beauty” in the Western and Chinese lexicon.

In Leisure, two women cover their bodies with plain veils. One leg is crossed on the ground and the other leg propped up to support their wrists - a casual and comfortable sitting position. The lady in a white robe on the left holds a pipa. She is focused on playing music on the instrument. The lady in a blue shirt on the right carries a lotus, indulging in the floral fragrance while appreciating the flower's colour as she mulls over its aroma. The two ladies are concentrated, as if they are living in their own separate worlds segregated from the rest. Although the ladies are not surrounded by precious jewellry, they are holding objects they love. They are content with their favourite items, enjoying oneself in one's own definition of heaven, aligning with Lin Fengmian's philosophy: Do not be intimidated by solitude, one shall be content with one's devoted pursuit of what one loves.

As Elegant as a Swan, as Regal as a Dragon

Lin depicted the ladies' faces with geometric blocks outlined by lines. He used the technique of stacking in Western oil paintings to paint the ladies' clothes and the gauze behind, creating depths and volume in the piece, making the ladies appear ethereal yet grounded. The willow-shaped and dark-coloured eyes of the ladies is influenced by Paris School painting as seen in Amedeo Modigliani's portraits. The graceful temperaments shown on the solemn expressions of the ladies are typical presentation of female figures in Oriental classic paintings. Folk shadow puppets and paper-cut elements are also incorporated in Leisure. The ladies' bearings and motions are as elegant as a swan, their physiques as regal as a dragon. Lin utilized the natural traces formed by overlapping cool-toned colours to create extremely slender ink lines for outlining the contours of the ladies. His sensitivity to shapes is manifested in his use of lines and shadows to outline the characters of the piece. The employment of the traditional Chinese element of “white spaces” to portray the ladies' naturally flawless skin emphasizes the classic beauty of Oriental women that emanates from intelligence and tranquillity, both characteristics fully exhibited in the painting.

Sound Resonating in the Ears, Fragrance Lingering on the Sleeve

Although the piece is painted on a flat canvas, imageries are animated, prompting its viewers to hear the music played on the pipa instrument, reminiscing the echoes of the melody that resonates in the ears. Olfactory imagery is incited after the introduction of auditory imagery, inviting the viewer to smell the floral fragrance released by the lotus flowers, attaching the perfumes to the sleeve of the viewer, its particles lingering, dancing, and submerging every sensory. Lin awakened dynamic perception through the flat surface of his canvas, filling the piece with visual imagery and encouraging the viewer to understand through perception. He stimulated the hearing of the viewer with auditory imagery, inviting the viewer to listen to the sounds of the melody played on the pipa. Olfactory imagery is formed with flowers and the action of the lady sniffing evokes a sweet aroma that fills the viewer's nasal sensations. Lin communicated a supreme experience that is “beyond the canvas and penetrates all senses”. The piece is an extraordinary work that embodies Lin Fengmian's artistic pursuits, one that encompasses all fundamental concepts and devices of the art world.

Price estimate:
HKD: 700,000 - 900,000
USD: 89,200 - 114,600

Auction Result:
HKD: 960,000