A ‘LANDSCAPE’ ALBUM IN THE MANNER WU HUFAN (1... Lot n° 197
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A ‘LANDSCAPE’ ALBUM IN THE MANNER WU HUFAN (1894-1968)
China. Ink on paper. Comprising twelve leaves, six painted with a painted landscape with mountains, trees amid rockwork, and a wanderer seemingly immersed in thoughts, each opposite leaf with a poetic inscription and the artist’s signature.
Inscriptions: Each leaf signed to the bottom left ‘Wu Hufan’. Two artist seals. The poems can be translated as follows:
Standing in the quietness of the mountains in springtime. Although frost still covers the grass new shoots are coming soon. Suddenly the light is shining through the forest and the moment of spring is here.
Getting intoxicated when enjoying the drinking, laughing without worrying. The time shared with a friend but now he is far away and only letters can be read.
The two pine trees straight to the heaven, and the roots down to the deep earth. Only the ‘earthen dragon’ will know the height of the trees.
The only person in the world who knows about the dragon is he daring to defy him. The two cypresses are facing each other, as solemn as giants, and the dragon is singing in the wind and rain, and the mountain is standing in the snow and frost.
The night rain on Xiaoxiang river, the dark sky, the rain flying fast, my boat floating, and all seems so surreal. Xiaoxiang river moving as strong as a dragon, and dark clouds cover the mountain.
The ears are already familiar with the sounds of the rivers and lakes, life is full of passions but also worries. White hair is full of grey at mid-night when the moon light shines.
Provenance: British trade.
Condition: Good condition with some wear, minor losses, small tears, foxing, soiling.
Dimensions: Size 37 x 27 cm
Wu Hufan (1894-1968) was a leading traditional painter, known for his sophisticated landscape works, as well as for being a noted collector and connoisseur. The grandson of calligrapher and painter Wu Dacheng, he was born into a family with generations of scholar-officials and received a classical education. Surrounded by genuine works from the past, he solidified his strong foundation in traditional culture, devoting his entire life to the realm of Chinese art. With both a firm grasp and a rigorous practice of ancient inscriptions, painting, calligraphy, literature and opera, Wu lived the life of a traditional literatus. He spent the early part of his life in the Shanghai region, and, following the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, taught at the Shanghai Institute of Chinese Painting. He went on to become one of the city’s most important connoisseurs, writing extensively about the works in his collection.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 2 December 2022, lot 1225
Price: HKD 504,000 or approx.
EUR 61,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Landscapes, Wu Hufan (1894-1968)
Expert remark: Compare the related manner of painting with similar landscapes and calligraphy, albeit with watercolors, lacking poetic inscriptions, comprising eight paintings, and of smaller size (21.5 x 28.5 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 25 November 2014, lot 1713
Price: HKD 2,080,000 or approx.
EUR 305,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Wu Hufan (1894-1968): Landscape and Calligraphy
Expert remark: Compare the related style and landscape subject. Note the similar size (38 x 28 cm).
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