Majestic Solitude ;& An Excursion

Long Chin-San is an important pioneer of Chinese modern photography. A key member of the Chinese Photography Society, he was one of the first photographers in the history of Chinese art to combine elements of Chinese painting with photography. The landscape photographs of Majestic Solitude; & An Excursion (Lot 650)and Approaching Eve; & Untitled (Lot 651) fully illustrate Long's prowess in transforming scenic landscapes to photographic prints, transposing the qualities of traditional lyrical Chinese ink-wash painting to the realms of photography. Demonstrating his understanding of Chinese painting, he was able to present a sublime atmosphere, with the beautiful colour gradation, creating a poetic and magnificent vision of rural idylls.

Long is also known for his technique of composite-photo making, in which he combines negatives or collages created out of several imageries to execute his work. Through the Leave Pattern (Lot 652) and Lest We Forget; & Brightness; & Reincarnation; & Double Shadow Imagination (Lot 653) both display Long's attempt to capture the spirit and form of his subjects reinterpreted through his camera lens. Through the Leave Pattern in particular demonstrates Long's understanding of the Western classical genre, rendering a simple elegance in the silhouettes of nature and the human form. Long's mature development and his presentation of works in this style can be well appreciated in this fine selection, as he employs photography as a medium to reinvigorate traditional forms of art.