Lot  233 Ravenel Autumn Auction 2010 Taipei

Ravenel Autumn Auction 2010 Taipei

The Stone and a Naked Woman

ZHOU Chunya (Chinese, 1955)

1992

Oil on canvas

100 x 80 cm

Estimate

TWD 3,500,000-4,600,000

HKD 854,000-1,122,000

USD 116,700-153,300

Sold Price

TWD 6,960,000

HKD 1,780,051

USD 229,476


Signature

Signed lower right Zhou Chunya in Chinese and dated 1992

ILLUSTRATED:


Zhou Chunya, Timezone 8, Hong Kong, May 2010, color illustrated, pp. 148-149

+ OVERVIEW

Stone has been an enduring subject for China's literati painters throughout history. The mass of stone and the textural lines on its surface provide artists with an opportunity for expression. Its plump contours create a reserved yet solid, artificially laid out feel, so that the artist can form a complete image without adornment.

This work is rendered in ochre tones. The large blocky rendering of the lower section, resembling dark storm clouds, creates feelings of inhibition. The female body incorporated in the center is rendered in bright green, creating a forceful contrast. The entire work is full of dynamism and deep layers. The nude woman's body has been stripped of all social markers, laying bare the essence of human nature. Green is a signal for danger, like the calm before a volcanic eruption. In the image, the gentle beauty on the surface is unable to conceal the extreme terror and hesitation of the figure. This work expresses the modern sense of the loss of self, and the burying of the natural spirit.

Related Info

Modern & Contemporary Asian Art

Ravenel Autumn Auction 2010 Taipei

Sunday, December 5, 2010, 2:30pm