During the Tang Dynasty in ancient China, the essences of portraits predicate

upon the realities of everyday lives with a focus on figurative spirit and temperament; Portraits entered a golden age during this flourishing period of the Tang dynasty. The essence of Chiu Ya-tsai’s portraits stem from the form and stylistic approach of portraits rendered during the Tang dynasty in ancient China, and the contours of the face is deeply rooted in traditions of Chinese classical painting. The apricot shaped eyes, the oval shaped face and the details featured are significant to Chiu Ya-tsai’s style.

The present lot emphasis on the figure’s face, making it lively and realistic and the thin layer of paint extenuate the features and hair of the central figure. The slightly curled central parted hair brings the character to life. The halved portrait of the body depicts a man wearing a red-brown coat, rendered in broad brushstrokes with regard to layers. The application of black and grey as the background color extenuate the contours of the central figure.

The composition of this work conveys calm personality of the figure, as if the lively eyes reflect a million sentiments. The emotions associated with the shy smile remains difficult to speculate. This quality matches with Chiu’s approach of lingering tendency towards loneliness. The slightly different themes of melancholy and quietness added a tone of intellectual self- confidence, simultaneously reflective of the artist’s elegant stylistic approach and the significance of the present lot.