Ink and colour on paper

66 × 67 cm. 26 × 26 3/8 in.

Signed in Chinese with an artist’s seal on bottom left
PROVENANCE
Liu Yih Ling acquired directly from the artist
Frances Liu Dea acquired directly from the above
Thence kept by previous private collector from the above
24 Nov 2019, Christie’s Hong Kong Autumn Auctions, Lot 362
Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above

Note: Liu Yih Ling was a diplomatist and also taught at the University of Dhaka as a professor in Chinese literature before. He and Lin Fengmian were classmates at Meizhou Middle School. After Lin moved to Hong Kong, Liu who moved to the United State got contact with Lin again and became close friends. Frances Liu Dea was Liu Yih Ling’s daughter.

A Unique Fragrance without Self-Indulgence, A Crystal Soul Reflected in Art
Lin Fengmian’s Consummate State of Art

In the early twentieth century, when Eastern and Western cultures were irreversibly at odds with each other, Chinese artists painstakingly sought to create new forms of artistic expression to inherit and revitalize the tradition with contemporary spirits. Among them, Lin Fengmian’s paintings cross the barriers of language, culture, and nations with boldness and sincerity and stand out in the art world, demonstrating his specific contribution to the dream of integrating Chinese and Western art. At the age of 29, he assisted in the founding of the National Academy of Art (Now China Academy of Art). As the first president of the academy, he pioneered the teaching method of fusing the essence of Chinese and Western art, which inspired a number of subsequent Chinese art giants such as Zao Wou-Ki, Chu Teh-Chun, Wu Guanzhong.

The most popular subject matter of Lin’s works is the traditional Chinese beautiful noble ladies (maids of noble backgrounds in an imperial palace). The two classic works with the theme of “beautiful ladies” presented this time have clear provenance. Lady in Green (Lot 64) was collected by Frances Liu Dea, daughter of Liu Yih-ling, a calligrapher and Chinese ambassador to India who founded Christian Gospel publications Cosmic Light and Lighthouse. Liu Yih-Ling and Lin Fengmian were classmates at Meizhou High School. When Lin sojourned in Chongqing in the 1950s, they were still in contact with each other and had a deep friendship. As a result, Liu and his family collected a large number of Lin’s works. Meanwhile, Bathing Lady (Lot 65) is the artist’s special gift to Cai Ruohong, Vice President of the Chinese Artists’ Association who formed a deep friendship with Lin in Shanghai before the artist moved to Hong Kong. The work is a rare diligent piece created as a gift by the artist and is undoubtedly a gem for collectors.

After settling in Shanghai in 1951, Lin Fengmian watched Peking Opera as his pastime. Therefore, he transformed the imagery of opera characters into his iconic “Beautiful ladies in historical costume” series. The women in his series embody a perfect combination of modern Parisian stylistic language and traditional Chinese elements from Wei and Jin Dynasties mural paintings and Song Dynasty porcelain, which brings a breakthrough and innovation to classical Chinese paintings, as exemplified by the work Lady in Green.

The artist infuses the textural clarity and spiritual purity of Song dynasty porcelain into the character of the figures, and viewers can feel the dream-like and unreachable elegance and beauty of the inclining figure. Her dark hair, shapely face, arched willow-leaf-like eyebrows, and rouged lips all clearly point to her identity from the East. Her eyes are downcast, with one hand placed on the bed and the other above her chest, showing her noble gracefulness. The artist fully utilizes the simple lines and unsaturated colors that are prominent in classical Chinese paintings to shape the figure’s facial expressions and characters, as well as her subtle fleeting changes of moods. He also uses watery brushstrokes to depict the texture of the skin and sculpt the outline of the body. The lady’s state of being “A single fragrance without self-indulgence” is precisely the same as in Lin’s own words, “The strength of Chinese art lies in the expression of emotions.”

A Curtain of Dreams, a Spirit of Reminiscence

Lin Fengmian uses floral fabrics of various colours and shapes in the background. In addition, the vertical ink lines make the canvas seem separated from the outside world by a curtain, creating a poetic scene of “A Curtain of Dreams.” On the left half of the painting, the elegant blue flowers on a white background parallel the lady’s green and white dress, as if it were a lighthearted season of spring and summer; while on the right half, the rich brick yellow and ochre brown background is complemented by the black ink and floral patterns, which echoes the colourful and orderly background of Henri Matisse’s paintings. Those backgrounds that seem outside the painted space not only highlight the connection between the interior and the exterior but also achieve the harmony and unity between the real and the virtual, colours and space. Hence, they bring out the dynamic inner world of the figure and invite viewers into the world inside the painting. At the front of the painting, there is a teacup with blue floral decorations and a plump lemon inside it. The simple elegance of tea and the astringent taste of lemon imply the figure’s unadorned aesthetics and draw the viewers’ attention from spiritual associations back to reality, which shows the subtlety of the artist’s ingenious and masterly layout.

The Quest for a Terrestrial Confidant: An Inherent Sentiment

The other painting, Bathing Lady, shows a different mood: the woman appears to have just finished her bath and is sitting alone in front of the window. Her purple hair band, red lips, rosy cheeks, and alluring posture remind viewers of female figures in Western paintings, such as Venus in Tiziano Vecelli’s Venus of Urbino, who charmingly leans at the edge of the bed. However, unlike Vecelli’s composition, viewers of Lin’s Bathing Lady do not look at the whole scene from afar, and the lady in the painting seems to be next to them. Viewers are as if sitting next to the lady and having a long conversation with her in a quiet space, leaving the mundane world behind.

Enchanted Lines: Persevering with Inner Seclusion

This work manifests Lin Fengmian’s pursuit of “form” and “rhythm of lines.” The slender lines and harmonious movements reveal the beauty of Eastern women’s graceful and restrained figures. Moreover, the strong thighs and solid seated posture of the lady in the painting enhance her strength and resilience, like the female body in Western oil paintings. In terms of composition, the artist uses his representative “square paper array” to construct a balanced and symmetrical space of a boudoir. Though seated naked, the woman sits in the centre in a demure posture. The curtains on the two sides create the orderliness of the space, which shows a sense of intellectual beauty and seclusion and contrasts this work against the usual theme of eroticism in artworks about female nudity. It recapitulates the Eastern poetic aesthetics of simplicity and sentimentality and exhibits Lin’s perseverance in his inner seclusion.

Price estimate:
HKD: 2,200,000 – 3,200,000
USD: 280,300 – 407,600

Auction Result:
HKD: --