Oil on canvas

72.7×60.6 cm. 28 5/8×23 7/8 in.

Signed in Chinese and dated on bottom right
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Asia

The Flowering of Life under the Brush
Pang Jiun's Colourful Paintings

Born into a family of artists, Pang Jiun's father was Pang Xunqin, the founder of the "Juelan Club", which promoted the development of modern art in China, and his mother was Qiu Di, an artist who studied in Japan. 13 years old, Pang Jiun was admitted to Hangzhou Art school. Three years later, he entered the Central Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied under Lin Fengmian, Xu Beihong, and many other big names. Based on his predecessors, Pang combines the "five shades of ink" in Eastern art, and uses subtle grey-scale colours in his paintings to achieve a harmonious middle ground, forming a personal style with a unique charm. With nearly eight decades of art making, Pang Jiun has gained an international reputation, having been listed in the Cambridge International Who's Who as one of the world's top 100 Artists, and held over 60 solo exhibitions both at home and abroad, with his works in the collections of the National Art Museum of China, the Chinese National Museum, and many other organisations.

His works focus on still life and landscape themes, and this autumn auction presents two of his classic themes: Xingfu Temple in Hometown Changshu (Lot87), which depicts the humanistic landscape of his hometown, and Still Life (Lot88), which gives an elegant touch to flowers. Both works are from the artist's family's old collection, and their first appearance at auction is particularly rare, presenting the fruitful artistic achievements of Pang Jiun after more than half a century of travelling between the East and the West.

Hometown Scenery, Treasure and Solemn Temple

Born in Shanghai, Pang Jiun spent his childhood in Jiang Nan. However, he moved to Hong Kong in 1980 and settled in Taiwan seven years later. It was not until 2000 that he was invited to Shanghai to hold an exhibition after 20 years of absence, leading a group of artists from Taiwan to exchange sketching skills in Changshu, and facilitating communications between artists from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Created in 2008, Xingfu Temple in Hometown Changshu is a depiction of a famous historical and cultural landmark in Changshu after he visits his hometown. The whole painting is not restricted to realism but is painted with a sense of breathability and white space in large strokes. This highlights Pang Jiun's mastery in grasping the nature of things, which he has learnt from years of sketching practice. In the middle and lower part of the painting, he painted the stone brick road and stone pillars in his classic grey colour, which lays down a calm and elegant background for the whole painting. The yellow wall and red door of the temple's entrance wall is a classic Chinese architectural style, highlighting the grandeur of traditional architecture with its colourful but not vulgar colours. The shiny black and grey tiles reflect the reflection of the light blue sky, while the dense and tall trees are painted directly with dynamic strokes, free from the boundaries of lines.

Founded in the Southern Qi Dynasty, the Fuxing Temple, situated in the valley at the northern foot of Mount Yu, has a history of two thousand years. In this painting, Pang Jiun accurately captures the tranquil atmosphere of the ancient temple, leading the viewer to appreciate the quiet temple inside and out and to feel the serenity and comfort of Zen.

Flying Melody, Fragrance in the Room

"Flower still life" is a classic theme of Pang Jiun's paintings, in which he explores the expressive power of colours and seeks to incorporate real feelings into nature. In Still Life, he uses cool colours as the base for the whole layout. The colour scheme is simple but not monotonous: thin lines in gold, blue and white, radial lines like green fireworks, and small flower patterns made up of short and thick rows of lines are all varied and interesting patterns, just like the automatic technique of abstract art, which produces splashes and drips of colours dancing on the canvas, demonstrating that music has been a lifelong inspiration of Pang Jiun.

At the centre of the painting, above the brown square flowerpot decorated with abstract lines and the pinkish-purple round pot with red stripes, a bunch of dense and robust green leaves are sprouting. At the top of the leaves are clusters of golden daffodils and white phalaenopsis orchids. The yellow daffodils signify "rebirth and renewal", while the "Queen of Orchids" phalaenopsis orchid symbolises wealth and harmony. The red and purple stamens are poured into the glittering petals in a flamboyant brushstroke, overflowing with the passion of life. The collision of warm and cool tones between the main body and the background adds colour tension to the bright flowers, like the sun and the moon shining in the deep blue rhythm of the night, just like a midsummer night's dream where the moonlight creeps into the room.

Price estimate:
HKD 150,000 – 250,000
USD 19,200 – 32,100

Auction Result:
HKD: 180,000