Ink on paper

45 x 27 cm. 17 3/4 x 10 5/8 in.

Signed in Chinese and Pinyin “Sanyu” on lower right
Literature：The Li-Ching Culture and Education Foundation,Taipei,Taiwan,Sanyu - Index of Drawings（L’inventaire des Dessins）,2014,p. 108,Plate D0415
Exhibited：Guimet Museum,Paris,France,Sanyu,L’écriture du Corps,16 June - 13 September 2004
Provenance：Given directly by the artist to English artist Stanley William Hayter；Private Collection,Europe.
Note：This work is accompanied by a certificate issued by Stanley William Hayter’s wife；This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by the Liching Culture and Education Foundation.

Sanyu
In the early 20th Century,more than 2,000 Chinese students traveled abroad to Europe. Some of them studied under the government-sponsored work-study program,while others studied at their own expenses. Sanyu was amongst the very few who migrated to France to learn arts. He persisted in pursuing a liberal lifestyle without blindly following the art movements in China. He began to integrate himself into the Parisian culture by studying Western Modern arts. Combining traditional Chinese aesthetics and Western modern flair,Sanyu successfully paved his road towards being a world renowned artist.
Sanyu’s gifted artistic talent is reflected upon his ingenious sketches of nude women. Women in his work are alluring and charming,all outlined with nifty swings and voluptuous curves extending his admiration towards women. His sketches are free from constraints and barely portray details of the subject. The sleek flowing lines display his versatility and free-spirited personality.
Reclining Beauty was completed in the 1920s. In the work,the lady is seated in a relaxed posture. She tilts her body to the right leaning aside comfortably,with both hands rested on her right thigh. The extended left leg is used to support her left side of the body. Well trained in Chinese calligraphy and further honing his Western sketching techniques,Sanyu captured the complex human body form with two brush strokes to outline the muscles of the straight left leg and the bent right leg. Due to the fluidity of Sanyu’s brushwork skills,the clean and smooth lines accentuate the tension and looseness of the entire body；thus,bring the nude woman to life. After completing the work,Sanyu gave it to British artist Stanley William Hayter（1901- 1988）as a gift. In 2004,the work was exhibited in Sanyu：L’ecriture du corps（Language of the Body）at the Musée National des Arts Asiatiques-Guimet.

Price estimate:
HKD：200,000 - 250,000
USD：25,800 - 32,300

Auction Result:
HKD:236,000