Oil on canvas

82.5×66 cm. 32 1/2×26 in.

Signed in pinyin and titled in French on the reverse
EXHIBITED
2 – 12 Apr 1987, Su Tianci Oil Painting Exhibition, Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris

PROVENANCE
Acquired directly by original collector from the artist in 1987
7 Apr 2013, Poly Hong Kong Spring Auction, Lot 143
Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above

Spring in Blossom around the World
Su Tianci's Signature Floral Masterpiece

During the 20th century, as Chinese oil painting evolved, Su Tianci, a prominent third-generation painter and art educator, promoted a blend of Eastern and Western styles. His "expressive oil paintings" mixed modern Western techniques with the ethos of Eastern literati, significantly impacting the movement of "nationalisation of oil painting." Starting in the 1960s, he frequently featured floral themes, drawing on the expressive floral art of the Ming and Qing dynasties. His work showcased a unique fusion of East and West, using colour, atmosphere, and mood to great effect.

This Autumn's auction highlights Le Chrysanthème et La Crête-de-Coq (The Chrysanthemum and the Cockscomb), a significant large-scale floral piece from the 1980s.

A Significant Piece from Su's First International Solo Exhibition in Paris

Le Chrysanthème et La Crête-de-Coq is particularly significant in Su Tianci's career. In January 1987, while a professor at the Nanjing University of the Arts, he was selected by the Ministry of Culture and the China Artists Association for a study trip to France. This opportunity led to his solo exhibition at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris in April, his first international showcase in forty years—a major milestone in his career. On the opening day, Mrs. Simone Brunau, the Chairwoman of the Cité Internationale des Arts, highly praised the artworks as "beautiful and poetic," as she entered the exhibition room, and immediately collected Su's artpiece. Extensive coverage by the French media also attracted many collectors who eagerly come to acquire his works. Le Chrysanthème et La Crête-de-Coq, featured in this significant exhibition in Paris, was acquired by the original collector in 1987. This purchase highlights the piece's well-documented provenance and its exceptional international appeal among Su Tianci's floral-themed works.

Dual Flowers, Dual Elegance

The pairing of two distinct flowers in the same vase is exceptionally rare in the artist's body of work, occurring only twice: in the 2006 Rose and Lily and in the 1980s Le Chrysanthème et La Crête-de-Coq. In this latter piece, Su Tianci used a diagonal composition, placing vibrant, fiery cockscombs at the top and delicate, multicoloured chrysanthemums at the bottom. This juxtaposition of warm and cool colours vividly represents the distinct and contrasting qualities each flower symbolises.

Noble Chrysanthemum: Brilliant as Stars

The chrysanthemum, a key symbol in Chinese floral art, is revered as one of the "Four Gentlemen" alongside plum, orchid, and bamboo, representing the grace of solitude appreciated in Eastern philosophy. In Su Tianci's art, the chrysanthemum's dignity and purity reflect the ethos held by Eastern scholars. He places a white spider chrysanthemum at the centre of the painting, bursting like fireworks, grabbing viewer's attention. The petals are rendered with delicate, flowing lines that exude natural elegance. Below, impressionist brushstrokes speckle the canvas with vibrant shades of orange, lemon yellow, apricot, and white, blending clarity with vitality in a tranquil corner of the composition.

Cockscomb: Eternal Mentorship

The vibrant cockscomb also takes centre stage. As a recurring theme in Su Tianci's work from the 1960s through the 2000s, the cockscomb symbolises "sincere and eternal love" and reflects his relationship with his mentor, Lin Fengmian. Lin always praised Su for his exceptional skill in painting cockscomb flowers and even learned this technique from him. Unlike Lin's rounded, arc-shaped compositions, Su employs a vertical layout that highlights the cockscomb's energetic, upward thrust. He uses thick, textured oil paint to give the petals a bold, dynamic look, a stark contrast to Lin's subtler ink colours. The palette combines Eastern and Western influences, featuring a vivid Chinese red at the top, transitioning to various shades of red and deep burgundy, resulting in a vibrant and expressive display.

Harmonisation of Objects and Ego

Beyond form and colour, Su Tianci incorporates traditional calligraphy techniques into oil paintings, applying vigorous, confident brushstrokes to create sweeping green leaves on either side of the bouquet. This method captures the dynamic movement typical of dry brushing, especially noticeable at the tips. On the right side, he uses distinct, angular lines to depict the sparser flower stems, effectively blending the principles of traditional painting with Eastern aesthetics into his oil paintings.

Set against a sky-blue background that evokes a vast blue sky, all vivid colours are contained within a simple deep blue porcelain vase, creating a fresh, elegant atmosphere. The grid-patterned tablecloth, which resembles vast fields, introduces a geometric element to the painting's structured composition, reflecting the Chinese philosophy of "round heaven and square earth." The red of the cockscomb, yellow of the chrysanthemum, and green of the leaves form captivating colour patches on the canvas, transforming nature's hues into a striking visual display. The painting skillfully navigates between complexity and simplicity, density and sparsity, blending national aesthetics with the expressive power of Western art to create an impactful visual experience.

Price estimate:
HKD 1,800,000 – 2,500,000
USD 230,800 – 320,500

Auction Result:
HKD: 2,160,000