Oil on board

29 × 21.3 cm. 11 3/8 x 8 3/8 in.

Signed in English on bottom right
PROVENANCE
16 May 2004, Huachen Beijing Spring Auction, Lot 0003
Important Private Collection, Asia

Light and Lifetime Flow around Pagoda
Yee Bon's Passion for Pagoda

Yee Bon studied in Winnipeg University in 1931. As an apprentice of the famous Canadian master L.L.Fitzgerald, He focused on the practice of classical realism. His rigorous composition, carefully-applied brush, illustrating the classicism, tranquility, and the thoughtfulness of the Pre-Industrious Revolution sense, is rarely seen in Chinese modern oil painting. By 1956, he moved back to China, creating oil paintings for the Great Hall of the People Guangdong Hall.

Yee Bon's return to China marks as a milestone of his 60 years' art life, which divides his creation into two parts, the first Hong Kong and Abroad Period (1935-1956) and the second China Period (1957-1995). He focused on portrait during his first period, while in 1957, after he accepted Prime Minister Zhou En'lai's offer to move to Guangzhou as an exceptional talent, there is an evident transition into landscape painting. This painting Pagoda belongs to his China Period. The triangular top and octagonal body unveils that it could be the Floral Pagoda (Hua Ta) of the famous Liurong Temple, locating in the suburban area of Guangzhou. Yee shows us the lively scene of this sacred Buddhist site through this work. A flight of birds is circling around the gilded top, and the warm orange sun light is bathing the houses below. The comforting corner shines in contrast to the rest of trees. The body of the pagoda looks like several lotus flowers layered together, reminding people the name of it, Floral Pagoda (Hua Ta). All these elements, put together in harmony, indicating the solid skills of the artist.

Price estimate:
HKD: 45,000 – 65,000
USD: 5,800 – 8,400

Auction Result:
HKD: 53,100