Watercolour and oil on paper

34 × 26 cm. 13 3/8 × 10 1/4 in.

Signed and dated in Chinese on bottom right
PROVENANCE
Acquired directly by the original private collector from the artist
28 Oct 2001, Sotheby's Hong Kong Autumn Auctions, Lot 42
8 Apr 2006, Sotheby's Hong Kong spring Auctions, Lot 605
Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above

Floral Reflection in Water, Independent and Proud
Wu Guanzhong's Strength of Character: Cherished Lotus Painting

In 1973, Wu Guanzhong was transferred back to Beijing from Li Village in Hebei Province and put in charge of creating murals for the Beijing Hotel, ending his time in the countryside where he was sent during the Cultural Revolution. At the age of 54, Wu finally had the creative freedom for which he had waited so long and as a result rediscovered his passion for art. During this period, he lived close to Shichahai District in Beijing and in his spare time often visited nearby Zizhuyuan Park to paint from real life. It was there that Wu encountered a lotus pond full of flowers with lotus leaves as far as the eye could see at the peak of summer, a sight that strongly resonated with him. Indeed, Wu observed: “these graceful and soft flowers have a unique strength of character.” The work Lotus was completed in 1973 and is a perfect testament to the glory of life and the way in which Wu Guanzhong, like the flowers he depicts, emerged pure and untainted from the chaos of the past.

Well Versed in East and West, a Rare Poem Imbued with Colour and Emotion

If we review the works Wu Guanzhong produced using Western media in his career, then the “Lotus” stands out as a motif with special meaning. In other words, the spirituality of the subject matter showcases the artist's own strength of character in overcoming the chaos of the times, but it also became an important motif connecting the past and the art he produced in the last 30 years of his life. Indeed, of the 27 lotus themed works Wu painted from 1973 to 2003 that appeared in official publications, only two are watercolours including the work on auction, underscoring its rarity. Over many years, the artist painted from nature by observing the beauty of the world around him with both his hand and heart. Lotus brings together the water of Chinese ink painting and the colours of Western oil painting, to create a poetic style that is rich and vibrant, with this incorporation of Eastern and Western elements becoming a feature of Wu's art.

Reflection Skills, Freehand Presentation Balancing Light and Colour

Lotus elevates the best features of watercolour painting through wet brushstrokes replete with changes in light. Wu boldly paints the lotus flower and its reflection, as almost the same size, combining the spirit of realist and freehand painting to show the lotus pond in all its glory. If we look at the lotus leaves in the water, the interplay of wet and dry brushstrokes together with the fine depiction of each individual leaf vein and the layering of large smudged brush-edge strokes create the impression that the flower is swaying in the wind. In contrast, the lotus leaves in the reflected image are transformed into a layer of boundless rippled water images, the heavy dark green and green-yellow hues leading to obscure water colours. Moreover, the addition of several slightly angular short lines wonderfully crafts a sparkling visual perception that increases the space between the two images. In addition to the blurred spatial displacement of the reflection, a seedpod and umbrella leaf hidden among the lotus flower break through the water and gaze heaven-bound, underscoring the evocative nature of this wonderful painting. In contrast to the water lilies by renowned Impressionist painter Claude Monet, where the reflections reflect the light and shade of the environment, the lily pond depicted by Wu Guanzhong not only incorporates the essence of the Western Pleinairist School, highlighting the flow of light, beautiful colours and three-dimensional shapes, it also employs watercolours to emphasize the elegant rhyme of blank spaces as left in Chinese ink painting. Indeed, the brushwork skills of Wu, a trained professional, create a scene filled with changes in light and colour informed by watercolour realism and ink painting freehand style.

Withering and Blooming, a Pre-eminent State of Mind Alone in the World

“In a lotus pond one can see the full gamut of life from beginning to end, it offers a microcosm of the vicissitudes of life, each with its own unique beauty, whether lightness or stagnation, joy or solemnity.”
——Wu Guanzhong

Wu Guanzhong's affection for lotus flowers can be traced to his studies in Hangzhou which introduced him to the renowned Quyuan garden of lotus flowers on the West Lake and he was filled with nostalgia when in Paris learning to paint the water lilies in the gardens of Monet. This feeling was if anything even stronger when he came upon the lotus ponds of Zizhuyuan Park after half a lifetime of travails and saw the “starting point of a new life.” Adopting an approach to life developed during his experiences in the 1970s when he struggled to survive, the painting Lotus uniquely showcases the beauty of the four seasons, rooted in Wu's determination to “remain true to himself” in the face of life's vicissitudes. The arrow-straight buds speak to the vitality of spring; the beautiful pink and pure lotus flower brim with the beauty of summer; Lower down, the ink dyed lotus leaves start to wither, depicting the peaceful beauty of autumn. The lotus leaves to the left droop downwards, their life nearing its end, once again a starting point for new beginnings. After reflecting on his own life's journey, Wu Guanzhong uses his exquisite ink brushwork to depict the reflected lotus flower in the water, as he speaks to the splendor and spirituality of nature. Even more importantly, the artist uses the fact that he emerged from the chaos of life untainted to finally embrace a mindset of “truth, goodness and beauty.” Whether the vitality of spring or the withering of autumn, he remains a striking figure head lifted to the sky independent and proud.

Price estimate:
HKD: 1,000,000 – 2,000,000
USD: 127,400 – 254,800

Auction Result:
HKD: 1,560,000