In this painting, the criss-crossing lines accentuate the texture of rocks at the front and lightly depict the forms of the distant mountains. The traversing lines and the use of colour reflect the humble character of the artist and a true appreciation of nature, which truly reflects the character of a Chinese literati.

Yu Cheng-yao (1898-1933) began his art practice at the age of 56 and participated in exhibitions in the US for two years. In his retired life, he gained an accomplished fame in music research, thus becoming one of the

few literati who excelled in poems, calligraphy, paintings and music.

The paintings featured in this Sale are depicted with Yu's typical style and structure. Despite Yu's deviances with traditional painting practices, the mountainous characteristics carry the same idealistic qualities as traditional Chinese paintings.