Signature
Signed DING Yan-yong in Chinese
With one seal of the artist
PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from the artist
EXHIBITED
"Ding Hwin Young's solo exhibition", University of Guelph, Ontario, 13 November 1970 - 3 December 1970
ILLUSTRATED
Bada Shanren & Y.Y. Ting's Paintings, Henan Art Publishing, Henan, 2021, pp. 148-149
+ OVERVIEW
This work is a rare monochrome landscape painting completed with simple strokes. The structure could be referred to a similar work of Bada Shanren. Bold lines and strokes suggest influences of Fauvism from his early years of Western art training. This work has a distant view from the hilly relief of the front panel in the foreground. Large boulders with dense thick ink contrast with the dry strokes of mountains in the distance. Light dry ink and meandering lines echo with the techniques of Mifu. Strokes depicting the trees suggest the skills of Jinshi. Curved lines outline the subjects and create a balanced composition of dry and wet ink, suggesting the humid warm Spring climate. The triangular perspective is highlighted by two huts and a sailing boat, echoing with the early training in Western art. Yet the unrealistic landscape suggests a depiction of emotion of the artist. Hence Ding Yan-yong radically combined freehand Chinese landscape painting with the expression of Fauvism. This work is an expression of nature through the artist's emotions, making it vivid and 'colourful', despite its monochrome depiction. Such a unique and radical approach makes Ding an outstanding artist of our times.