Acrylic and oil pastel on paper

58 × 68 cm. 22 7/8 × 26 3/4 in.

Titled, dated and signed in Chinese on bottom right

LITERATURE
2013, Wang Yuping: Taipei．Beijing, Eslite Gallery, Taipei, p. 18
EXHIBITED
2 Mar – 7 Apr 2013, Wang Yuping: Taipei．Beijing, Eslite Gallery, Taipei

PROVENANCE
Eslite Gallery, Taipei
Acquired directly by present private Asian collector from the above

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist and issued by Taipei Eslite Gallery

Painting the Infinite View of the Capital with Colourful Brushes
Wang Yuping's Poetic Rhythm of Beijing

As an important representative of China's New Generation of painting, Wang Yuping held a solo exhibition at the National Art Museum of China as early as 1988 during his studies at the Central Academy of Fine Arts. After graduating from the school and remaining there as a teacher, he plunged into the tide of Neo-Expressionism, and his works have been shown at the Beijing Museum of History, the Venice Biennale, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Francisco.

As a native of Beijing, Wang Yuping has a deep affection for the city's scenery and people. He often travels through the city's streets and alleys with his painting tools, depicting the four seasons of his hometown, the ancient ruins, parks, lanes and streets. The natural brushstrokes and the pure colours present the tenderness of every Beijinger's childhood memories. The Painting Beijing series, which started in 2010, is one of his most representative creations and is widely favoured by collectors. Watchtower Overlooking Forbidden City No.4 (Tongzi River) (Lot 87) and The 14th of January (Diptych) (Lot 88) are two classic representations of the series.

The Golden City River Calls for Vitality
Ancient Rhymes of Watchtower Overlooking Forbidden City No.4 (Tongzi River)

In 2011, Wang Yuping took the symbolic Forbidden City's watchtower as the location for his sketches, and continuously depicted it from four different perspectives: Summer, snow, night and street scenes. Watchtower Overlooking Forbidden City No.4 (Tongzi River) is the summer scene that are full of colour and vitality from this series.

Built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, the Tongzi River is a moat that surrounds the outer perimeter of the Forbidden City. It mirrors the watchtower with yellow glazed tiles, which serves as a lookout for the defence of the city. The river is well-known for the tale of "gold city wall and boiling moat". Under Wang Yuping's brush, the watchtower and the moat in summer have the brightest tone, telling the infinite vitality of everything flourishing: A clear blue sky is reflecting the green willows on the banks and the golden brilliant watchtower, showing the splendorous royal style. Wang Yuping did not only focus on the grandeur of the ancient buildings themselves, but also included the tourists on boats in the painting, injecting a human emotion into the painting. The towering electric lamps in the painting are a modern interpretation of the Forbidden City, blending the past with the present and incorporating the "changes and constants" of the Forbidden City over the centuries.

Red Lanterns Hanging High, Stone Lions Wishing Peace
The Unique Diptych: The 14th of January

There is an old Beijing proverb that says: "The lion in Yong'an Monastery faces inwards." It means "different from the rest". Completed in 2013, The 14th of January (Diptych) captures Yong'an Monastery in Beihai Park, which Wang Yuping has sketched many times and loves. This work features a pair of stone lions under the Jicui Pai Fang on the south side. By using the form of a diptych like comics, he creates a continuous scene of "multiple perspectives in one place". In the lower left of the two frames, he recorded the dates of the 14th and 15th days of the first month of the lunar calendar, and used the change of time to create a dynamic sense of vision: From the mighty stone lions in the foreground, to the red lanterns hanging high above; from the lively children on the Yong'an Bridge holding Tanghulu and dress in bright and colourful clothes, to the solemn Pai Fang in the distance, and the solemn White Pagoda. The stone lions, lanterns and pagoda are all linked together in a strong Chinese flavour. The white pagoda, with its round upper and square lower, forms a bowl structure. It is a manifestation of the divinity who is illuminating the four directions, bringing blessings and peace to those celebrating the Lantern Festival after the Beginning of Spring.

Continuing the artist's classic expression of combining acrylic and oil on canvas, the pure colour blocks in the midst of multiple brushstrokes present an aura full of relaxation and movement, just like the grounded, emotional, and historical atmosphere of Beijing. Though the work is an instantaneous sketch, it creates a monumentality that is like a stoppage in time. In the highly saturated and pure colours, the reality meets with childhood memories, and slowly reveals the infinite scenery that is only commonplace in the memories of generations.

Price estimate:
HKD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 12,800 – 19,200

Auction Result:
HKD: 132,000