Ink and color on paper

68×68 cm 26 3/4×26 3/4 in

Signed and dated in Chinese， and stamped with artist seal’s on bottom right
PROVENANCE
Private collection， Asia“Most works of Ai Xuan concern minority inhabitants in Tibet， including that ox-eyed little girl who has featured in a number of his paintings. Matter-of-factly， each has its own motif and sentiment， reflective of the artist’s thinking and aspirations there and then. His depictions of the wilderness on the Tibetan Plateau and lone souls residing there are little else other than a revelation of his innermost emotions. Thus it stands to reason to deem his works as an incarnation of his interior monologue rather than a rendition of Tibetan custom and landscape. Structurally， his works strive for poetic profundity， due to his learning of the Chinese landscape painting techniques. Taking inspiration from the serenity， magnificence and loftiness contained by a rich variety of landscape paintings accomplished by ancient Chinese painters， such as Fan Kuan and Ni Zan， etc.， Ai Xuan has made uninterrupted endeavors in his creative practice and eventually managed a thought-provoking streak of measured sentimentality in many a creation of his own. Backdrop-wise， he is prone to deploying his character（s） against a snow-capped wilderness， aloofness and tranquility. More often than not， your eyes are faced with a looming horizon on the farther end， which signals a mind of far-reaching desolation. It is such a typical mood created by him that has endued many of his works with a mystic airiness which is awe-inspiring and captivating.
——— Shao Dazhen

Price estimate:
HKD: 350,000 – 450,000
USD: 44,900 – 57,700

Auction Result:
HKD: 531,000