Acrylic on canvas

100 x 80 cm. 39 3/8 x 31 1/2 in.

Signed in English on upper right

LITERATURE
2010, Black Angel, Ping Art Space, Taipei, p.36 – 37 and 219
2012, Future Pass World Exhibition, Today Art Museum, Beijing, p.55
EXHIBITED
2010, Black Angel – Masaru Shichinohe Painting Work Exhibition 1990-2010, Ping Art Space, Taipei
4 Jun – 31 Oct 2011, Future Pass World Exhibition- Collateral Event of the 54th International Art Exhibition La Bennale di Venezia, Palazzo Valmarana, Venice
9 Dec 2011 – 12 Mar 2012, Future Pass World Exhibition – Rotterdam Station, Wereldmuseum, Rotterdam
12 May – 15 Jul 2012, Future Pass World Exhibition – Taichung Station, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung
12 – 29 Oct 2012, Future Pass World Exhibition – Beijing Station, Today Art Museum, Beijing
14 Nov – 20 Dec 2019, Hommage, Sansiao Gallery, Hong Kong

PROVENANCE
Sansiao Gallery, Hong Kong
Private Collection, Asia

The Surrealistic Theatre of Masaru Shichinohe
Masaru Shichinohe graduated from the architecture faculty of Musashino Art University Takanodai Campus in 1981. After three years devotion in architecture, he decided to have painting as his career. Since 1984, he has been actively holding solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Taipei, Beijing, and other places. He uses the fine texture of the European classicism painting to create his protagonists, girls observing the world with meaningful glances. The painting, Little Nurse 0808, created in 2006 is one of his classic works.

Beauty of Classicism, Dialogue of Soul

In the painting Little Nurse 0808, there are both mysterious classicism favoured by the artist and the surrealistically fantastic indication. On the one hand, her cheeks are round, and her skin is fine and smooth, like the girls painted by the Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer. She has neat short hair, wearing a white nurse hat and a round collar, which suggests her identity, also the beauty taste of Japanese artist. Different from other works with complex and fantastic background, the setting of this work is simplified, focusing on the face of the girl, catching people's eyes on the subtle facial expression of the girl. He completes the narrative with the subtle and hunting outlook of the girl, which highlights the wonderful control power of the artist.

Situation Theatre, Roles Inversion

The protagonist in the painting points the sky with her hand, like the angel in the classicism painting with a gesture telling and claiming the oracle. It reminds people of the famous Saint John the Baptist by Leonardo da Vinci. Saint John is not only the pioneer of Christianity, but also the prophesier the birth of saint. Schichinohe intends to follow the classics, giving the protagonist certain meaning beyond people's bias of stereotypes. In real life, nurses could witness many deaths everyday, while in this painting her facial expression is the opposite of the sweet stereotype of nurse, with no emotion attached. She looks at the distance rationally, seeming to remind us of the karma and uncertainty, and implying human's mortality and the fate of loneliness.

Price estimate:
HKD: 580,000 – 780,000
USD: 74,800 – 100,700

Auction Result:
HKD: --