Oil on canvas

130 × 81 cm. 51 1/8 × 31 7/8 in.

Signed in Chinese and English on bottom right; signed in English and Chinese, dated, and titled in French on the reverse
PROVENANCE
Galerie H. Legendre, Paris
Modern Art Gallery, Taichung
6 Apr 2013, Sotheby’s Hong Kong Spring Auction, Lot 539
Important Private Collection, Asian

Note: Two labels of Paris Galerie H. Legendre and Taichung Modern Art Gallery are affixed to the stretcher on the reverse

The Heroic Epoch of Soaring, Submersion, and Grandeur
Early Thunderous Masterpiece Composition No. 19 - Lumière Obscure by Chu Teh-Chun

Chu Teh-Chun, a modern Chinese giant of the 20th century in the art history of both East and West, holds an exceptional reputation. In the West, the renowned French art critic Jean Clarence Lambert described his work as "a transcendental landscape, taking people beyond nature into the imagined celestial bodies, a poetic sensation of the artist towards natural space." François Sybron, a Parisian reporter for L’Express, called him "a Song Dynasty painter in the 20th century," praising the profound and culturally rich aesthetics connecting East and West in his paintings. In 1997, he became the first Chinese artist to be elected as a member of the Académie des beaux-arts (France), a title echoing throughout East and West.

Returning to China in 2000 after gaining international fame, Chu Teh-Chun held a solo exhibition at the Shanghai Art Museum, attracting a massive audience. Two years later, the Shanghai Grand Theatre commissioned him to create Symphonie Festive, a monumental work measuring 430cm in height and 730cm in width, permanently displayed at the theatre. With over 400 exhibitions worldwide, including 156 solo exhibitions and 285 group exhibitions, Chu Teh-Chun’s impact is truly remarkable. His works are housed in more than 40 major art museums, including the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, the National Foundation for Contemporary Art in France, the Taipei History Museum, the China Art Museum in Beijing, and the Shanghai Art Museum.

Opening of the Heroic Epoch: Representative of the Mature Iron-Wire Period

For Chu Teh-Chun, born in 1920 into a family of traditional Chinese medicine in Jiangsu, Chinese painting and calligraphy were familiar during his childhood. During his time in private school, he studied regular script and read Tang Dynasty poetry. In 1935, upon admission to the Hangzhou Academy of Art, he studied Western painting under Wu Dayu and traditional Chinese painting under Pan Tianshou. After graduation, he taught successively at his alma mater, Nanjing Central University, and National Taiwan Normal University before realizing his dream of studying in France in 1955. The vibrant art scene in Europe and the rich collections in art museums provided him with significant inspiration and nourishment. Artists like Francisco José de Goya with his dark and poignant works, Paul Cezanne’s powerful foundational structures, and Nicolas de Staël’s liberation from representation influenced him deeply. Starting from realistic representation, Chu Teh-Chun transitioned to abstraction in 1956, marking the beginning of 58 years of abstract artistic exploration. As French art critic Pierre Cabanne noted, "In 1958, a new art movement called ‘Abstract Landscapism’ emerged in the European art scene, symbolizing the post-war heroic era, and Chu Teh-Chun was a shining star among the new generation of painters."

Chu Teh-Chun’s lifelong body of work is challenging to categorize chronologically, but two outstanding periods, the "Iron-Wire Period" (1956-1962) and the "Snowscape Series" (1985-1990), stand out. These periods represent his classic works, both scarce in quantity and highly sought after in the market. During the "Iron-Wire Period," the rich black ink of traditional Chinese ink painting and the flowing lines of calligraphy entered his oil paintings. With vigorous brushstrokes, he incorporated flying wild grass and majestic Chinese rubbing techniques into his work. Through the bold application of oil paints, he sought to develop the essence of Chinese brushwork and ink aesthetics, giving ancient brush and ink a modern and global significance. This paved the way for the revival of Chinese art on the global stage and solidified his monumental position in the history of East-West art. The maturity of this period culminated in 1958, producing masterpieces such as Fantasia and Composition No. 25 - Autumn. That same year, he held his first exhibition at the Galerie du Haut-Pavé in Paris, marking a remarkable debut in the abstract art scene. The exhibition attracted Galerie Henriette Legendre, where he signed a six-year contract, marking the peak of his artistic career in his first period in France. The painting Composition No. 19 - Lumière Obscure, completed in 1959, stands as a representative work of his artistic career during the "Iron-Wire" Period.

The Charisma of Black and Earth: Striking Contrasts, Uplifting Gestures

"In his hands, the brush regains the rhythm of Chinese calligraphy, giving colour a rhythm, presenting a silent, dim, and deep colour range that, through the modulation of transparent light, reveals sparkles like flashes."
——Raoul-Jean Moulin, Former President of the International Association of Art Critics

In Composition No. 19 - Lumière Obscure, Chu Teh-Chun used powerful horizontal and vertical brushstrokes with earth-toned colours. The colours, ranging from dark brown, khaki, ochre, red-brown, to chestnut, exhibit subtle and diverse changes from cool to warm. This rich variation is reminiscent of the Chinese concept of "5 shades of ink", expressed using Western oil paints. He constructed a section on the canvas symbolizing the "fertile soil of nature and life." On this canvas, thick black lines and blocks flow and intertwine like golden stones, guided by the artist’s breath. The nurturing and influence of Chinese culture on Chu Teh-Chun naturally emanates through the forceful application of black ink lines and the use of black as a dominant colour. Examining the structure of black, the long, vigorous lines and surfaces sweep from top to bottom and left to right, combining the calligraphic brushstrokes with the dance-like movements of a water sleeve dance or the swaying willows by the West Lake in Hangzhou, which evokes a sense of imaginative adventure. The central area’s trailing and twisting lines, along with the colour blocks, echo the calligraphic brushstrokes of the dot, lift and hook, progressing from the foreground to the distance, forming a natural rhythm and creating a sense of expansive space. Observing the powerful black structure, the near-symmetrical composition is particularly rare in Chu Teh-Chun’s paintings. Additionally, deliberately using black to construct the main structure not only demonstrates his inheritance and innovation of China’s millennia-old calligraphic culture but also corresponds to the theme of "night", creating an abstract visual experience reminiscent of the outlines seen during nighttime observation, adding a mysterious and imaginative quality to the artwork.

Ambiguous Radiance: the Eternal Light of Hope

"Therefore, the dynamic interplay between opposing forces of strength and flexibility, the intricate dance of the eight trigrams, resonating with the powerful echoes of thunder, enriched by the nurturing essence of wind and rain. This perpetual cycle mirrors the continuous movement of the sun and moon, experiencing the ebb and flow of alternating cold and warm seasons, encapsulating the essence of natural rhythms and the ever-changing course of existence."
——I Ching

And at the core of Composition No. 19 - Lumière Obscure, a dazzling milky-white block shines like a pearl, radiating brilliance from the centre forward, instantly illuminating the entire canvas. Chu Teh-Chun, having been well-versed in Chinese poetry and classical literature since childhood, particularly had a profound understanding of Taoist philosophy and the principles of the I Ching. He once said, "The philosophy of the I Ching conveys the endless interplay of the concepts of Yin and Yang, presenting fundamental and mutually generative elements. Yang is fiery and bright; Yin is dark and moist. This duality gives rise to the infinite universe." This philosophy is embodied in this work, where Chu Teh-Chun, through the dramatic contrast of black and white, yin and yang, softly speaks of the eternal truth of the universe. He leads viewers to appreciate the movement of the sun and moon, showing that in every quiet and dark night, the light of dawn will always spread across the earth at the moment of sunrise. The darkness will eventually pass, and light will come. Day and night revolve endlessly, and the light in the painting, much like a guiding lighthouse in the darkness, represents the most steadfast pursuit of ideals and life in each person’s heart. It ignites the flame within us!

Price estimate:
HKD: 4,500,000 – 7,000,000
USD: 574,700 - 894,000

Auction Result:
HKD: 5,760,000