Lot  12 Ravenel Autumn Auction 2015 Hong Kong

Ravenel Autumn Auction 2015 Hong Kong

Landscape in Puli

SHIY De-jinn (Taiwanese, 1923 - 1981)

1979

Watercolor on paper

57.7 x 76.7 cm

Estimate

TWD 932,000-1,441,000

HKD 220,000-340,000

USD 28,400-43,900

Sold Price

TWD 1,210,084

HKD 288,000

USD 37,161


Signature

Signed lower left Shiy De-Jinn in Chinese and dated 1979
PROVENANCE:
Collection of former Director of the Shiy De-jinn Foundation,
Mr. Lu Sheng-Hua (acquired directly from the artist)

+ OVERVIEW

The painting employs Western-style perspective in its composition, reflecting the fact that, while carrying on the Chinese aesthetic tradition, Shiy De-jinn continued to make use of the skills he had acquired during the period he spent studying in Europe as a young man. Shiy's misty, opaque painting style incorporates the impressionistic brushwork of traditional Chinese ink brush painting, while giving the brushstrokes something of the power and vigor of calligraphy, creating an innovative new way of painting.

The overall feeling that the painting gives the viewer is that the artist tried hard to make full use of the little time remaining to him, depicting the mountain landscape in a reverent, almost worshipful manner. Precisely because Shiy was so deeply engrossed in the work, he seems to have been able to "hear" the sorrowful call of the hills and the low sobbing of the rivers, and to perceive that unique blue tone's presence amidst the mist that lies between the mountain peaks. This is a sad, mournful blue which, unlike the traditional ink tones of Chinese ink brush painting, or the verdant greens of many landscape paintings, reveals the artist's sorrow at saying goodbye to this beautiful mountain scenery.

As Shiy himself put it, "I use Western watercolor technique in my landscape to express the the deep oriental sentiment ,to depict the nature in a brand new way;the color in my paintings are also turned into the Chinese ink painting style,fresh and lively." The ink tones and colors in Shiy's paintings both contrast and fuse with one another, sometimes drawing on aspects of the Chinese literati painting tradition, and sometimes incorporating the rich colors of Chinese folk art. In this way, Shiy succeeds in giving a contemporary feel to his depictions of the sub-tropical colors of Taiwan's landscape.

Related Info

Modern & Contemporary Art

Ravenel Autumn Auction 2015 Hong Kong

Sunday, November 29, 2015, 11:00am