Ink on paper

146 x 243 cm. 57 1/2 x 95 5/8 in.

Stamped with artist’s seal on lower right


Literature：

Unac Tokyo，Tokyo，Japan，YUICHI：catalogue raisonné of the works 1949-1985，Vol1，1996-1998，p.434.


Provenance：

Private Collection，Asia


YUCHI INOUE

When Japanese master Kūkai travelled to Tang China，he studied the calligraphies of Wang Xizhi and rising star Yan Zhenqing. Back in Japan，he began to promote calligraphy，which Japanese called “do” （literally “way”）. By writing repeatedly，people master the art of so-called “do”，and Yūichi Inoue was the one to give the notion full play.

The current lot for sale，Tai，was created in Inoue’s most productive period in the 1960s. By that time，his practice had already turned from a mere pursuit for techniques to “a battle between man and word”. He sought to find a new expression for his creativity through different attempts. The bold and unrestrained strokes suggest that the calligraphist wielded his brush with facility；and the natural way the ink diverges reflects a creative style that is uninhibited and full of tension. The lower part of the Chinese word，meaning literally “water”，comprises a powerful vertical line and two thick dots on each side. The dots，though seemingly casual and free，are distributed evenly. The whole composition is plump with content. The upper and lower parts are relaxed，forming a stable and orderly structure like a building. The upper part ，like a pagoda，embraces the water below with ease，exuding an air exactly like its meaning—safe，stable and and calm.

Inoue once lamented the bitterness entailed in writing. Life is also full of bitterness. To many people，art is beauty，but to Inoue，art is some kind of proof of existence beyond metaphysical beauty after hard knocks.


Literature：

Unac Tokyo，Tokyo，Japan，YUICHI：catalogue raisonné of the works 1949-1985，Vol1，1996-1998，p.434.


Provenance：

Private Collection，Asia


YUCHI INOUE

When Japanese master Kūkai travelled to Tang China，he studied the calligraphies of Wang Xizhi and rising star Yan Zhenqing. Back in Japan，he began to promote calligraphy，which Japanese called “do” （literally “way”）. By writing repeatedly，people master the art of so-called “do”，and Yūichi Inoue was the one to give the notion full play.

The current lot for sale，Tai，was created in Inoue’s most productive period in the 1960s. By that time，his practice had already turned from a mere pursuit for techniques to “a battle between man and word”. He sought to find a new expression for his creativity through different attempts. The bold and unrestrained strokes suggest that the calligraphist wielded his brush with facility；and the natural way the ink diverges reflects a creative style that is uninhibited and full of tension. The lower part of the Chinese word，meaning literally “water”，comprises a powerful vertical line and two thick dots on each side. The dots，though seemingly casual and free，are distributed evenly. The whole composition is plump with content. The upper and lower parts are relaxed，forming a stable and orderly structure like a building. The upper part ，like a pagoda，embraces the water below with ease，exuding an air exactly like its meaning—safe，stable and and calm.

Inoue once lamented the bitterness entailed in writing. Life is also full of bitterness. To many people，art is beauty，but to Inoue，art is some kind of proof of existence beyond metaphysical beauty after hard knocks.

Price estimate:
HKD：300,000 - 400,000
USD：38,700 - 51,600