Oil on canvas

100 × 100 cm. 39 3/8 × 39 3/8 in.

Located, titled, signed in Chinese and English, sized on the reverse
EXHIBITED
Oct 1987, Contemporary Chinese Fine Art Exhibition, Toronto City Hall, Toronto

PROVENANCE
Acquired directly by present Canadian collector from the above

Autumn Colors Reflect the Glory of the Times
Autumn – Huang Guanyu's Recording of the Era

Huang Guanyu was born in the 1940s and entered the China Central Academy of Fine Arts Affiliated High School to receive professional art training. In 1964, he was admitted to the decoration design department of the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts where Wu Guanzhong taught. After graduation, he worked in art institutions in stage design, publishing, and etc. Compared with the Central Academy of Fine Arts, which was heavily influenced by the Soviet style of realism at the time, the Academy of Arts and Crafts emphasized the integration of art, design, and craftsmanship, which affected his subsequent creative style. In 1984, Huang got the chance to exhibit his works domestically, and his works have been collected by foreigners in Beijing. To this day, the National Art Museum of China, Beijing Today Art Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of New York have all collected his oil paintings, proving his position in the contemporary Chinese artists circle.

The First Appearance of A Rare Work, Last Time Seen on An Overseas Exhibition in the 1980s

As a student of Wu Guanzhong who appreciated beauty in both form and abstraction in the late 1970s, Huang practiced his teacher's philosophy early in his career. Huang and his classmates such as Wang Huaiqing, Qin Long, Sun Jingbo, Sun Weimin, Zhang Hongnian, Zhang Hongtu, and etc. are not only from the same generation, but also share the same pursuit in art. They sketched, created, and together studied Western early modernist art through albums and old magazines, such as the paintings of Matisse and Klimt. Huang went abroad in 1987, and more than 30 works appeared in the “Modern Chinese Painting Exhibition” in Toronto City Hall for the first time. Autumn at this auction was one of the important works of the exhibition, and it was collected by local collectors immediately. This work witnessed the Chinese contemporary art going abroad, and it was the first time that this work was released on the market. Its historical significance deserves our attention.

Autumn Gilded the White Birch, Water Clears the Mundane World

The artist outlines the scene of the pond after autumn from a head-up angle. The slender and straight northern white birch trunks stand upright, while the sparkling blue waves on the pond outline the reflections of the branches. The most eye-catching thing is the golden background composed of stretched leaves. From a distance, you can see the swaying leaves swinging with the wind and entwining branches and buds. From a closer look, you can clearly see the artist's skillful application of his technique. He painted golden yellow leaves on the ocher background, which sparkles in a variety of colors, adding more vivid charm to this work. After feasting on Western masterpieces, Huang absorbed the golden symbolism of ritual and mysterious religion in Western art into the scenery of late autumn in China. The gold here is no longer dazzling and compelling, but is hidden among the water and trees. With falling leaves, the painting has a unique oriental charm. The cross application of points, lines, and surfaces in the entire work creates a surreal and quiet space between the virtual and the reality. It also provides a glimpse into the artist's transformation from the early scarism realistic paintings to the later abstract ink line style.

Price estimate:
HKD: 80,000 – 100,000
USD: 10,300 – 12,900

Auction Result:
HKD: 108,560