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Lot Essay
The active Hong Kong artists specializing in Western painting in the 1930s could be classified into three categories: the academic artists who finished studying overseas and immigrated to Hong Kong, such as Li Tiefu, Yee Bon, Li Bing, and Ng Po Wan, who first adopted the academic realist style and later established their personal style; the Western painters residing in Hong Kong, who treated painting as a mere pastime; those who self-learned Western painting, such as Luis Chan and Wang Shaoling, and who were open-minded and later had their personal modern style formed.
These artists, through setting up their studios for teaching, organizing public exhibitions, and establishing arts organizations, promoted the development of Western painting in Hong Kong. In 1952, Yee Bon, Luis Chan, and Li Bing established the Hong Kong Arts Society, which aimed at promoting artistic creation in Hong Kong. In 1954, with Ng Po Wan and Xu Dongbai joining the society, it had become an important community of Western painting.
Having joined "Gengzi Art Club" to have acquaintance with traditional Chinese painting, Ng Po Wan started practicing Chinese art in 1961 to understand and equip himself with the skills of brushworks in classical painting and attempted to employ Chinese brushworks in oil paintings. Ng once said, "I draw for only one reason. I hope that my paintings can be easily recognized as from a Chinese painter. In other words, I want to show Chinese characteristics in my works." Since the 1960s, Ng's techniques in oil painting became more adept and carefree. He even incorporated the perspective technique and black hooked lines from Chinese painting into oil painting.
These artists, through setting up their studios for teaching, organizing public exhibitions, and establishing arts organizations, promoted the development of Western painting in Hong Kong. In 1952, Yee Bon, Luis Chan, and Li Bing established the Hong Kong Arts Society, which aimed at promoting artistic creation in Hong Kong. In 1954, with Ng Po Wan and Xu Dongbai joining the society, it had become an important community of Western painting.
Having joined "Gengzi Art Club" to have acquaintance with traditional Chinese painting, Ng Po Wan started practicing Chinese art in 1961 to understand and equip himself with the skills of brushworks in classical painting and attempted to employ Chinese brushworks in oil paintings. Ng once said, "I draw for only one reason. I hope that my paintings can be easily recognized as from a Chinese painter. In other words, I want to show Chinese characteristics in my works." Since the 1960s, Ng's techniques in oil painting became more adept and carefree. He even incorporated the perspective technique and black hooked lines from Chinese painting into oil painting.