Oil on canvas

69 × 78 cm. 27 1/8 × 30 3/4 in.

Signed in pinyin and Chinese and dated on bottom left; dated and signed in Chinese on the reverse
PROVENANCE
Acquired directly by original private Asian collector from the artist
30 Mar 2019, China Guardian Hong Kong Spring Auction, Lot 698
Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above

The Eternal Sunrise of an Era
Chen Junde's Profound Symphony of Colours

"The path of art is rugged, and the other shore is distant. Not seeking hope, only for the sake of love, working tirelessly, cultivating with sincerity."
——Chen Junde

Hailed as the "Master of Colours", Chen Junde was born in Zhenhai, Zhejiang. Despite his later travels spanning across China and known throughout the world, his heart was always entwined with his familiar homeland. He entered the Stage Design Department of the Shanghai Theatre Academy in 1956 and studied under the instruction of Yan Wenliang and Min Xiwen. He received guidance from renowned artists such as Liu Haisu, Lin Fengmian, and Guan Liang during the pre and post-Cultural Revolution era. Benefiting from their true teachings, Chen Junde established a solid foundation in painting. In 1974, he returned to his alma mater as a professor. In his spare time, he collected and created works everywhere, making his thoughts flow like a spring, which led him become one of the first Chinese artists to venture abroad for numerous overseas exhibitions after the era of reform and opening-up. In the 1990s, grounded in lifelike observations, his artistic style became freer and more expanding. His work retains the vibrant colours of Western oil painting while embodying the expressive spirit of Chinese painting "every scene conveys emotions." Immersed in nature, within "a person's realm", he inscribed a significant chapter in the modern history of Chinese art, connecting the past and future. His works have been collected by institutions such as the Long Museum Shanghai, the Powerlong Museum, the National Art Museum of China in Beijing, the Pacific Asia Museum, former Japanese Prime Minister Takeshita Noboru, and the Shaw Brothers Limited in Hong Kong.

Radiant Brilliance, Deeply Touching Hearts

"Chen Junde writes the story of nature and life with humanistic sentiment…and with abundant sensitivity, he wholeheartedly creates, finding a truly vast realm."
——Fan Di'an, Director of the National Art Museum of China

Autumn in Mount Tianmu, created in 1991, depicts the scenery of Tianmu Mountain, which was frequently visited by Chen Junde since the 1970s. Chen Junde indulged in the golden ginkgo trees that covered the mountains in autumn, so he immersed himself in the forests to capture the subtle transformations and rich colours of nature. The influence of unrestrained colours of Western Fauvism and Expressionism had been internalised into his unique and vibrant painting style. He employed various primary colours and harmoniously blended them through adjacent tones. Unlike "clearing the vicinity and blurring the distance" in traditional landscape painting, Chen boldly applied bright warm colours to depict distant scenery, flattening the depth of the scene. However, through varying colour intensities, contrasts, and complementary colours, he still managed to convey a sense of space. With years of accumulating experience in life drawing and calligraphy, he skillfully employed wet and dry intersecting lines, as well as colour blocks to compose the changing glaze-like colours of the mountain. The contrasting orange and blue-purple hues, layered under shades of emerald and cyan, enhance the sense of depth in the painting. In the lower part of the painting, a labourer in a hat carries a heavy-laden basket, as if on the way home from the mountain with a bountiful harvest, adding vitality to this beautiful mountain scenery. Through these dancing lines, Chen Junde conveys his deep appreciation for his homeland and the inexhaustible vitality of nature, along with sincere affection and respect for the diligent labourer.

Price estimate:
HKD 450,000 – 550,000
USD 57,700 – 70,500