.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Chen Yifei started his career in 1960-70s, the master works of 'revolution theme' created in the period, such as Occupied the Presidential Palace, Red Flag, and Thinking of History from My Space, had brought Chen, as a young artist only at that time, lots of focus attention. In 1980, Chen carried his domestic fame and flied to New York, USA for further study in art. It is not hard to imagine, encountering the concept art, pop art, installation art and new media art waved in the 80's American art circles, was such a shock to Chen Yifei, the long trained realistic Chinese artist who was bathed in the heroism and idealism not long ago, that made him to think about these questions: How to lessen the attack of culture shock? How to keep the faith in Realism? How to orient the art direction? And, where to find a way out of foreign culture?
In only two and three years, Chen had successfully turned the challenge into opportunity. The Water Country series, started in 1982, were culturally accepted by USA mainstream society. In the 1982 summer, Chen quit his oil paintings restoration job and went to Europe, visited art museums in Spain, Italy, Holland and ten more other countries, deriving nutrients from plenty of European master paintings. He back to China and gathered a lot of materials and inspiration in south of the Yangtse River that autumn. After returned to New York, he created the first works in Water Country series and exhibited them in Hammer Galleries, Brooklyn Museums and New England Center for Contemporary Arts, Connecticut in 1983, 1984 and 1985. The 1984 New York Times and Art News appraised Chen's art style as the 'Romantic Realism', marked the beginning of the impact of Water Country series in USA.
Peasant Village (Suzhou) (Lot 1154) was sold in Hammer Galleries, New York, the first representing gallery for Chen Yifei in the USA, and exhibited in New England Center for Contemporary Arts, Connecticut. Subtle brush strokes and realism style were employed in the work to describe the unique civilian residences layout that surrounded by waters in south of the Yangtse River. White walls and black tile roofs, in the form of various sizes of colorful rectangles, reached across the main picture. The artist delicately applied thick oils and polish subtly to diminish the lines of architectures and for a frosted effect. The wood windows and doors, tiles and bricks created a sense of vivid quality, a showcase for artist's superb oil skills. Red blooms scattered over green leaves, smelling fresh with life. Instead of representing rich coloring, natural light and shades of the folk houses were employed to render the rich and subtle contrast in European Classicism. Faint and soft yellowish gray hue diffused over the painting, liking a sunset with vivid coloring. Chen Yifei adopted the doctrine by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood that to study natural light attentively, transform them into art language, and so as to express the feelings implied in the landscape. In the work, a pale, somber half-light was used to represent the uniquely romantic environment of the south of Yangtse River in moisture and rain.
Without satisfying the success of Water Village series, Chen continued to seek breakthrough in his artistic career by exploring the Venice series since the later 1980s when he travelled to Italy. Stone Bridge, Venice (Lot 1153) is a classical work created by Chen during the travel. This master piece was exhibited in Exhibition in Japan 90': Chen Yifei organized by SEIBU Department Store in Tokyo.
Stone Bridge, Venice depicts a corner of Venice River at dawn. Chen carefully handles the light so that he can accurately seize the moment of dawn and sunrise. The natural light is perfectly painted in the scene of the little house along the river side under the sunlight, a quiet river and traditional boat rowing on the river and it seems that a long-missed moment of feeling has been captured with a lingering and enchanting touching ambiance.
Water Country series and Venice series recalled the gradual weakening fad of western classical art, amazed the western art lovers with superb realism skills that was equal to western painters, and most importantly offer the opportunity to re-read Chinese culture.
In only two and three years, Chen had successfully turned the challenge into opportunity. The Water Country series, started in 1982, were culturally accepted by USA mainstream society. In the 1982 summer, Chen quit his oil paintings restoration job and went to Europe, visited art museums in Spain, Italy, Holland and ten more other countries, deriving nutrients from plenty of European master paintings. He back to China and gathered a lot of materials and inspiration in south of the Yangtse River that autumn. After returned to New York, he created the first works in Water Country series and exhibited them in Hammer Galleries, Brooklyn Museums and New England Center for Contemporary Arts, Connecticut in 1983, 1984 and 1985. The 1984 New York Times and Art News appraised Chen's art style as the 'Romantic Realism', marked the beginning of the impact of Water Country series in USA.
Peasant Village (Suzhou) (Lot 1154) was sold in Hammer Galleries, New York, the first representing gallery for Chen Yifei in the USA, and exhibited in New England Center for Contemporary Arts, Connecticut. Subtle brush strokes and realism style were employed in the work to describe the unique civilian residences layout that surrounded by waters in south of the Yangtse River. White walls and black tile roofs, in the form of various sizes of colorful rectangles, reached across the main picture. The artist delicately applied thick oils and polish subtly to diminish the lines of architectures and for a frosted effect. The wood windows and doors, tiles and bricks created a sense of vivid quality, a showcase for artist's superb oil skills. Red blooms scattered over green leaves, smelling fresh with life. Instead of representing rich coloring, natural light and shades of the folk houses were employed to render the rich and subtle contrast in European Classicism. Faint and soft yellowish gray hue diffused over the painting, liking a sunset with vivid coloring. Chen Yifei adopted the doctrine by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood that to study natural light attentively, transform them into art language, and so as to express the feelings implied in the landscape. In the work, a pale, somber half-light was used to represent the uniquely romantic environment of the south of Yangtse River in moisture and rain.
Without satisfying the success of Water Village series, Chen continued to seek breakthrough in his artistic career by exploring the Venice series since the later 1980s when he travelled to Italy. Stone Bridge, Venice (Lot 1153) is a classical work created by Chen during the travel. This master piece was exhibited in Exhibition in Japan 90': Chen Yifei organized by SEIBU Department Store in Tokyo.
Stone Bridge, Venice depicts a corner of Venice River at dawn. Chen carefully handles the light so that he can accurately seize the moment of dawn and sunrise. The natural light is perfectly painted in the scene of the little house along the river side under the sunlight, a quiet river and traditional boat rowing on the river and it seems that a long-missed moment of feeling has been captured with a lingering and enchanting touching ambiance.
Water Country series and Venice series recalled the gradual weakening fad of western classical art, amazed the western art lovers with superb realism skills that was equal to western painters, and most importantly offer the opportunity to re-read Chinese culture.