Oil on canvas

35 × 27 cm. 13 3/4 × 10 5/8 in.

Signed in English on bottom left; inscribed, signed in English and Chinese and dated on the reverse
PROVENANCE
Received as a gift directly from the artist by Sacha and Paulette Klerx, France
Important Private Collection, Asia

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued and signed by Mrs. Ching-Chao Chu, spouse of the artist and co-editor of the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of Chu Teh-Chun

Note: This work will be included in the artist's forthcoming catalogue raisonné being co-edited by Foundation Chu Teh-Chun and Mrs. Ching-Chao Chu

Gathering the Elements, Brilliant Happenings

Chu Teh-Chun - Successful Combination of East and West
“Courageous and stunning talent, particularly the freewheeling use of lines and composition fully showcased in this Chinese artist's first solo exhibition in Paris.”

The above quote is from a commentary on a solo exhibition by Chu Teh-Chun at Galerie du Haut-Pavé in 1958 published in the leading French newspaper Le Monde. Indeed, it was through this first solo exhibition held shortly after Chu arrived in Paris that he first shared with the pubic his research into and achievements in the field of abstract expressionism. These were widely acknowledged by the art world and represented his first success in Paris. During the 1970s, Chu toured famous scenic and historical sites in Europe and viewed classical masterpieces on several occasions, allowing him to use natural light, shade and colors in ways that spontaneously brought together the natural lyricism of Eastern and Western landscapes and marked another creative peak. Of the two works currently on auction, one is from the 1950s the other the 1970s, key periods in which the painting of Chu Teh-Chun underwent dramatic change.

Soaring Artistic Career, Testament to Friendship
After the success of the 1958 solo exhibition, Chu attracted the attention of artists across Paris and Galerie Legendre signed a six-year contract with him. However, if we trace the starting point of this rise to fame then we invariably come to Sacha Klerx artistic director of Galerie du Haut-Pavé, who was the first to praise Chu's paintings and hold an exhibition of his work. In addition, Klerx actively introduced the artist's paintings to collectors and art museums across Europe and Chu Teh-Chun remained in close contact with the Klerx family for the next 30 years. The auctioned work Sans Titre (Lot 48) was originally part of the Klerx collection and on the back of the painting is an inscription from the artist to his old friend. With such clear provenance the work represents a moment in time when Chu's artistic career was in the ascendency, but it is also a testament to the enduring friendship between the two men.

Bright Red, Dazzling Morning Sunlight
Completed in 1958, the main tone of Sans Titre is a joyful festive cacophony of red, the gem like brilliance of the colored blocks overlapping to create the magnificent scene seen by viewers, but it also gives voice to the high spirits and great maturity that marked Chu Teh-Chun's art. In earlier works he rarely used red and indeed only nine of his confirmed oil paintings from the 1950s have red as the main color, highlighting the special nature of this piece.

Before travelling to France, Chu was a teacher in Taiwan and often visited Pahsien Mountain and Ali Mountain to paint from real life. Indeed, based on his realist works before 1957 the artist was particularly enamored with forests and as his paintings became more abstract he continued to focus on such natural motifs as mountains and rivers, gradually combining these with calligraphic lines. Such an approach can be seen in this work with the weighty black pigment flat and straight brushstrokes that cut through the work showcasing powerful life energy. At the same time, the rose red, bright yellow, orange and deep blue blocks of color are like dots of light in a dark forest, guiding the viewer's line of sight from one to the other. The undulating expansion of the lines and color points is accompanied by the light flowing rosy pink hue around the painting and clear layering. It is almost like watching a vivid scene of “early morning sunlight when the sun first rises,” a sentiment that precisely echoes the extraordinary start to Chu Teh-Chun's artistic career and the emotional message conveying his best wishes to a friend.

Price estimate:
HKD: 550,000 – 1,000,000
USD: 70,900 – 128,900

Auction Result:
HKD: 1,062,000