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Lot Essay
“As a descendant of Guo Xi, I am forever searching for the spirit of trees.” - Wu Guanzhong
The mysterious power of trees has long been an inexhaustible source of inspiration for generations of Chinese artists. As one of the most acclaimed artists in modern China, Wu Guanzhong is known for his endless fascination with myriads of trees of all seasons – from the tender, soft willow branches in the mild spring of his hometown Yixing in Jiangnan, to the grotesque pine trees of Mount Tai; from the lush foliage of tress in summer, to the robust dance of the bare branches in winter – these are all wonders of nature vividly captured in Wu Guanzhong’s paintings.
In the tradition of classical Chinese painting, trees are often depicted to grow on top of the mountain or by the river, scattered in the landscape to add to the mood of the individual painting. The symbolism of trees has been an established tradition in Chinese culture: pine trees symbolise strength and endurance, willows, on the other hand, are imbued with a sense of nostalgia. As flowers bloom and fall each year as time goes by, irrevocably linked to the ephemeral nature of life, trees are regarded as a symbol of permanence and perseverance. Master landscapists from history such as Wu Zhen (1280-1354), Wang Meng (1308-1385), Shen Zhou (1427-1509) and Wen Zhengming (1490-1559) all expressed their admiration for these creatures by their expressive, detailed treatment of trees. The Song dynasty master Guo Xi (circa 1000-1087) created some of the most compelling images of trees by depicting their dignified silhouettes in the winter (Fig. 1), whose legacy Wu Guanzhong inherited, dedicating his lifetime to portray the subliminity inherent in these trees and forests.
In Magnificent Landscape (Lot 6), a colossal pine tree is staged in the centre of the painting, with its branches extending beyond the picture frame, manifesting a strong sense of vitality. Here, the lofty cliffs recede into the background against which the magnificence of the trees is brought to the fore. A prototype of this unique composition can be found in Wu’s Pines of Beijing painted in 1975, where the body of the pine trees takes precedence. In Pines of Beijing, a panoramic view of the city can be seen through the gaps between the branches, which so singularly represents the beauty of the nature away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The unique composition is further developed as seen in Lace-Bark Pine (1984) (Fig. 2), in which a spectacular pine tree in the foreground overlaps with an ancient temple seen in the background. The pine, shielding the main body of the architecture from view, lends itself an aura of splendour. The bold arrangement originates from the artist’s acute observation and deep understanding of the spirits of the landscape, for Wu rarely depicts what he sees in nature but combines and abstracts an overall impression of the landscape, fully expressing the majesty of the pine trees by the careful positioning of space.
With a rare vertical composition and beautiful fluid lines, Magnificent Landscape is exceptional in the expression of elevation it arouses. As the eye of the viewer travels from the bottom to the top of the painting, the main body of the pine tree is depicted with a tremendous momentum that mimics the upward movement. The dark green foliage at the lower part of the painting becomes increasingly concentrated towards the crown of the tree. The flowing line of the cliffs stretch vertically over the surface and yet, stops abruptly at the top edge of the painting, creating an aweinspiring unconventional skyline. A small flight of staircases can be found in the lower right corner of the painting, further contrasting with the grandeur of nature.
Trees play an important role in the evolution of Wu’s paintings from the sketches from nature from the 1970s, the semi-abstract representational paintings from the 1980s, to the monumental, abstract masterpieces of the 1990s (Fig. 3). Many of the later abstract works that Wu Guanzhong created in the 1990s can be seen as the visual deconstruction of vines and branches. Bold and revolutionary, Magnificent Landscape marks an important turning point for Wu Guanzhong between the semi-abstract works of the 1980s and abstraction in following decade, when the artist’s brushstroke became increasingly dexterous and minimalistic. This artistic transformation is firmly rooted in Wu’s knowledge of European art theories. Having studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris from 1947 to 1950, he was able to apply the theory of dots, lines, planes to his representation of nature. The resultant image, of which Magnificent Landscape is a fine example, is one that blends the expressionist techniques and perspectives with poetic lyricism as an ode to the beauty of nature.
The mysterious power of trees has long been an inexhaustible source of inspiration for generations of Chinese artists. As one of the most acclaimed artists in modern China, Wu Guanzhong is known for his endless fascination with myriads of trees of all seasons – from the tender, soft willow branches in the mild spring of his hometown Yixing in Jiangnan, to the grotesque pine trees of Mount Tai; from the lush foliage of tress in summer, to the robust dance of the bare branches in winter – these are all wonders of nature vividly captured in Wu Guanzhong’s paintings.
In the tradition of classical Chinese painting, trees are often depicted to grow on top of the mountain or by the river, scattered in the landscape to add to the mood of the individual painting. The symbolism of trees has been an established tradition in Chinese culture: pine trees symbolise strength and endurance, willows, on the other hand, are imbued with a sense of nostalgia. As flowers bloom and fall each year as time goes by, irrevocably linked to the ephemeral nature of life, trees are regarded as a symbol of permanence and perseverance. Master landscapists from history such as Wu Zhen (1280-1354), Wang Meng (1308-1385), Shen Zhou (1427-1509) and Wen Zhengming (1490-1559) all expressed their admiration for these creatures by their expressive, detailed treatment of trees. The Song dynasty master Guo Xi (circa 1000-1087) created some of the most compelling images of trees by depicting their dignified silhouettes in the winter (Fig. 1), whose legacy Wu Guanzhong inherited, dedicating his lifetime to portray the subliminity inherent in these trees and forests.
In Magnificent Landscape (Lot 6), a colossal pine tree is staged in the centre of the painting, with its branches extending beyond the picture frame, manifesting a strong sense of vitality. Here, the lofty cliffs recede into the background against which the magnificence of the trees is brought to the fore. A prototype of this unique composition can be found in Wu’s Pines of Beijing painted in 1975, where the body of the pine trees takes precedence. In Pines of Beijing, a panoramic view of the city can be seen through the gaps between the branches, which so singularly represents the beauty of the nature away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The unique composition is further developed as seen in Lace-Bark Pine (1984) (Fig. 2), in which a spectacular pine tree in the foreground overlaps with an ancient temple seen in the background. The pine, shielding the main body of the architecture from view, lends itself an aura of splendour. The bold arrangement originates from the artist’s acute observation and deep understanding of the spirits of the landscape, for Wu rarely depicts what he sees in nature but combines and abstracts an overall impression of the landscape, fully expressing the majesty of the pine trees by the careful positioning of space.
With a rare vertical composition and beautiful fluid lines, Magnificent Landscape is exceptional in the expression of elevation it arouses. As the eye of the viewer travels from the bottom to the top of the painting, the main body of the pine tree is depicted with a tremendous momentum that mimics the upward movement. The dark green foliage at the lower part of the painting becomes increasingly concentrated towards the crown of the tree. The flowing line of the cliffs stretch vertically over the surface and yet, stops abruptly at the top edge of the painting, creating an aweinspiring unconventional skyline. A small flight of staircases can be found in the lower right corner of the painting, further contrasting with the grandeur of nature.
Trees play an important role in the evolution of Wu’s paintings from the sketches from nature from the 1970s, the semi-abstract representational paintings from the 1980s, to the monumental, abstract masterpieces of the 1990s (Fig. 3). Many of the later abstract works that Wu Guanzhong created in the 1990s can be seen as the visual deconstruction of vines and branches. Bold and revolutionary, Magnificent Landscape marks an important turning point for Wu Guanzhong between the semi-abstract works of the 1980s and abstraction in following decade, when the artist’s brushstroke became increasingly dexterous and minimalistic. This artistic transformation is firmly rooted in Wu’s knowledge of European art theories. Having studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris from 1947 to 1950, he was able to apply the theory of dots, lines, planes to his representation of nature. The resultant image, of which Magnificent Landscape is a fine example, is one that blends the expressionist techniques and perspectives with poetic lyricism as an ode to the beauty of nature.