Ink on paper

131x176.8 cm. 51 5/8 × 69 5/8 in.

Stamped with one artist's seal on bottom right

LITERATURE
1996-1998, Yu-ichi Inoue Catalogue Raisonné of the Works Vol.1, Unac Tokyo, Tokyo, p.203
PROVENANCE
Gallery 100, Taipei
Acquired directly by present private Asian collector from the above

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Gallery 100, Taipei

Roaming the Heavens and Earth, Wielding the Brush of a Master Calligrapher
Yuichi Inoue's Expression of Freedom

"To live is to wield the brush, rather be a devil of writing!"
——Yuichi Inoue

"He was an ordinary teacher at school, and an avant-garde artist at home." This is how a friend, Masaomi Unagami, described Yuichi Inoue, the Japanese calligraphy master. After World War II, Yuichi Inoue, who was originally a teacher at a normal school, along with his friends Eguchi Sogen and Morita Shiryū, gathered at Ryōan-ji in Kyoto in 1952. They decided to return Japanese calligraphy from a traditional form of art focused on elegance to the realm of the soul, infusing it with soul. By pouring the most primitive rhythm and spirit into the brush strokes, and achieving alignment between calligraphy and the language of modern art, he entered the realm of international contemporary masters. His work Gutetsu was included in the famous British critic Herbert Read's book A History of Modern Painting and was praised as one of the most representative abstract works. Yuichi Inoue once said, "Writing a single character on a large scale is because someone who doesn't usually use a brush cannot use it as freely as the Tang dynasty calligrapher Yan Zhenqing who lived a life using a brush. Therefore, I write a single character and try to make it as large as possible to trace the brush power of ancient masters." In this autumn auction, the presentation of his work Ko (Lot 84) from 1961 and Tsuki (Lot 85) from 1977, exemplify the brush power of ancient masters during his peak creative years.

What is not Forgotten will Surely Resonate

In the early 1960s, Yuichi Inoue often stayed at home to take care of his sick mother and began to create art at a higher frequency. During this period, he wrote characters such as "Filial Piety" and "Roar" to express his inner frustrations. The character "Ko" means "sound" in Japanese. The large character "Ko" is like a mysterious musical note, what is not forgotten will surely resonate, vibrating on the boundless white paper, leaving behind the echoes of life.

The Dignity of the Brush and Ink, Both Light and Dark are Ink

Yuichi Inoue's calligraphy in the 1960s is full of fluidity. If observed closely, one can see the details beneath each brushstroke, with different shades of ink erupting simultaneously at the tip of the brush. This allows the artist's physical gestures and mental state to be revealed in the artwork, embodying the grandeur of brush and ink.

Continuous Coexistence, the Explosion of Life

When creating, the artist felt restricted by the size of the paper, so he personally connected two horizontal Japanese washi papers, expanding the dimensions of the artwork. At the top of the composition, the surging ink dots create a highly dramatic scene, showcasing the artist's extreme expression of explosive force in his creation.

The Remarkability through Time

The character "月" holds two meanings in both Japanese and Chinese characters: it represents the moon in the sky and signifies the twelve months of a year, marking the passage of time. The artwork Tsuki (Moon) up for auction, was completed in 1977, representing the pinnacle of the artist's late-period exploration of the character "月". The piece was initially acquired by the Tokyo Tomio Koyama Gallery and was exhibited at the 11th Sharjah Art Biennial in the United Arab Emirates. Later, it became a private collector's collection and was lent for display at the prominent H Queen's Gallery in Hong Kong in 2018, attracting numerous art enthusiasts who came to witness, appreciate, and acclaim its brilliance and significance.

The Art of Calligraphy: Art in Pictograms

On the expansive moon-white Japanese paper, the character "月" stands tall, unfolding gradually. The central "二" is particularly eye-catching, resembling a crescent moon with its rightward-opening "C"  shape, evoking associations with the pictorial nature of the character. The outer "冂," due to the ink dot in the upper left corner, forms the character "門" (door), like a window pushed open, allowing the curving moonlight to spill into the room. This breaks the confines of traditional "characters" and becomes a truly meaningful "painting" . The scattered ink marks on the left side resemble stars, shimmering around the moon.

Moon Rises, Chilling in Leisure

The artwork Tsuki (Moon) exudes elegance and clarity, embodying a rare sense of ease, free-flowing brushwork, and a sense of indulgence not often seen. Each stroke is filled with rich colour, devoid of dilution or filling traces, showcasing the artist's confident and decisive brushwork. At this point, the artist has transcended the confines of calligraphy's structure, exploring broader artistic expressions beyond calligraphy. This work embodies rational foresight and abundant emotion, leaving behind a spiritual treasure for the world.

Price estimate:
HKD 380,000 – 580,000
USD 48,700 – 74,400

Auction Result:
HKD: 456,000