Ink and colour on paper

33.5 × 33.5 cm. 13 1/4 × 13 1/4 in.

Stamped with an artist’s seal on bottom right

LITERATURE
1998, Pang Xunqin Paintings, People’s Fine Arts Publishing House, Beijing, p. 146
2006, Pang Xunqin, Jiangsu Education Publishing, Nanjing, p. 305
PROVENANCE
Original Collection of artist’s relative
Chen Chuan Gallery, Taipei
8 Oct 2020, China Guardian Hong Kong Autumn Auction, Lot 108
Acquire directly by present important private collector from the above

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by Yuan Yunyi, wife of Pang Xunqin

Paint the Leisure, a Song with Amour
The Representative Ink Paintings of Pang Xunqin Created in His Shandong Tour

“As a Chinese man living in the 20th century, I was forced to leave the classrooms and art world due to political reasons for some time. But I want tranquil in heart, and I want beauty in life and also pleasure in labour. Also, I want you to see some beauty, and to feel that there is still joy in our life.”
——Pang Xunqin

Known as the “Father of Chinese Modern Craft Art”, Pang Xunqin was admitted into the French Académie Julian in 1925. Five years in France enables him to have a thorough understanding about the western classicism and modernism. By 1930, he returned to China and taught in the Shanghai Art School, and the National Art School in Beiping (today’s Beijing) later. After that, Pang worked as a commissioner of the Palace Museum and went to the southwest to research on the art of minorities in Yunnan and Guizhou provinces. With Ni Yide, Pang initiated an art club named “Juelan Club”. The club was of great significance in China at that time, since it stirred the conservative art environment with its revolutionary exhibition. However, the error of the time forced him to leave for the farmland during the Cultural Revolution. He was forbidden from painting for a long time. Thus, only few paintings are created during 1949-1972 still last. When it came to 1973, he started to paint in a free spirit, and reached a perfect state in late 70s. This time we bring his Red Roof which was created during his visit to Shandong Province in 1977. The work has been put in Pang’s important painting albums published in 1998 and 2006. After Pang passed, most of his works have been donated to the art museum, so there are only few works still circulate in the market. Therefore, it is pretty rare to see it presented in the market this time, indicating its precious in value.

Dance in Grace, Wander in Peace

Pang’s autobiography mentioned that he was introduced and arranged by Hua Junwu, the chief secretary of Chinese Artists Association in 1977 to visit and give lectures in the art schools in Shandong. He accidentally met another artist, Huang Yongyu, and thus painted in company with each other. For once, they together painted for three days without break. In that year, Pang picked up ink painting once again, and created the Red Roof under that circumstances. The artpiece Red Roof vividly captures the “red tile and green tree” character of Qingdao architecture with coloured ink. Artist adapts a combination of the overlook and smooth inspection, and depicts the daily life with sharp and decisive lines. Red tiles pile up like a mountain range, and the plants in detail and green tree suggests an interesting life. The peaceful scene with no man but the light blue sky indicates a sense of comfort in the good time, which also reflects his mental status and pleasure after all those suffering. The colours used are carefully chosen to create a red-green contrast and combination. The rhythm of strokes is full of confident and freedom. In 1978, he once created a painting, named Red Roof (In Memory of Qingdao), with the similar composition, and it is collected by the National Art Museum of China. The colour of the later piece is simplified, which inversely highlights the rich colour in this work, Red Roof, as well as artist’s fascination on this scenery.

Price estimate:
HKD: 550,000 – 850,000
USD: 70,100 – 108,300

Auction Result:
HKD: 840,000