LIN Fengmian (Lin Fongmin) (1900-1991) Beautiful... Lot 8

LIN Fengmian (Lin Fongmin) (1900-1991) Beautiful lady, early 1950s Ink, gouache on Xuan paper. 66 x 66 cm Slightly cut at the top. Provenance: According to the owner, acquired directly from the artist in the 1950s. Exhibition: Chinese Artists in Paris, September 9 - December 31, 2011, Musée Cernuschi. Reproduced in catalog, p. 36. The painting depicts a stylized female figure seated in the center. Her features are simplified and her limbs elongated, rendered in shades of white and green. The background is divided into dark vertical sections. Signed and stamped upper left. This subject is recurrent in Lin Fengmian's work and considered by specialists to be a reminiscence of his mother, from whom he was separated at an early age in difficult circumstances. The type of paper used by Lin Fengmian during the war, when he couldn't paint on canvas, was called 宣紙 (xuān zhǐ), also known as xuan paper. It's a fine, absorbent paper made from mulberry fibers, traditionally used for Chinese calligraphy and painting. Xuanzhi is prized for its resistance to ink and its ability to capture the subtle nuances of brushstrokes. Its smooth, uniform surface was ideal for Lin Fengmian's style of painting, which emphasized fluid lines and soft colors. What's more, xuanzhi was relatively inexpensive and easy to find, making it a practical choice for Lin Fengmian during the wartime period of economic hardship. Lin Fengmian, a major Chinese artist of the 20th century, shaped his country's art history by fusing the influences of European modernity with traditional Chinese artistic heritage. Born into a family of poor artisans in 1900 in Guangdong province, he overcame financial obstacles through determination and unexpected good fortune, winning the lottery to study in France. In Paris, he trained at the École Nationale des Beaux-Arts after a spell at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Dijon, and discovered a vibrant Franco-Chinese artistic community. Back in China, he became a key figure in artistic reform, promoting modern art and fusing Chinese and Western techniques. As director of the National Art School in Beijing, he played a key role in promoting contemporary art. However, political upheaval and social instability forced him to leave Beijing in 1927, but he found refuge in Hangzhou, where he founded the National Academy of Arts. World War II and the Chinese Cultural Revolution marked tumultuous times for Lin Fengmian. Forced underground and forced to destroy his own works during the Cultural Revolution, he was imprisoned as an "enemy of the people". After his release, he lived in precarious conditions until his departure for Hong Kong in 1977. Despite his ordeal, Lin Fengmian continued to create and to commit himself to preserving his artistic heritage. He died in Hong Kong in 1991, leaving behind a remarkable artistic legacy and a lasting influence on modern Chinese art.