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Lot Essay
"DYNAMIC STROKES AND VIBRANT COLOURS—SHIY DE-JINN'S EARLY PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS FROM THE 1950S- 1970S. "
A major Taiwanese painter, Shiy De-jinn was born in Sichuan in 1923. During his student years in Chengdu, he studied with painter Pang Xunqin who had been educated in France, and came into contact with the work of modern Western painters such as Picasso and Matisse. In 1943 he was admitted to Sichuan Provincial School of Art and Technology, where he studied with Lin Fengmian and devoted his attention to exploring the line as the subject of painting. While cultivating the Chinese essence of his art practice, he also read extensively on theories of Western painting and worked on developing his own painting style. Christie's presents an eclectic selection of Shiy De-Jinn's early works from the 1950s to 1970s, which marks the theme of this sale. The works are also diverse in medium, as they include sketch, watercolour and three rare oil paintings by the artist. In their expression and style, these works illuminate the diversity that underlies the early years of Shiy De-Jinn's artistic development.
In 1962, the U.S. State Department sent a delegation to Taiwan to select modern painters for invitation to exchange in the U.S., and Shiy De-Jinn endeavoured to earn his place in the programme. He spent the next four years travelling the U.S. and Europe. Throughout his travels, Shiy De-Jinn was deeply inspired by Western avant-garde art. It impelled him to turn to and contemplate the profound traditional Chinese culture as the source of his creative inspirations. The 1967 work Horses (Lot408) was created at this point in his artistic development. Embracing Pop Art, the popular Western avant-garde art of the time, he used repetitive subjects to emphasize the organic nature of objects. He revamped the art of moulded picture bricks from Han Dynasty (Fig 1) the bright red colour that is widely used in Taiwanese temple paintings, illustrating a humanistic concern towards Chinese folk arts in this unique creation for its time. Besides the intricate details, the line delineates the existence of the subject in this work, which stands out as one of the few Chinese folk art creations by Shiy De-Jinn.
As Shiy De-Jinn noted, he was influenced by Lin Fengmian in his emphasis on the line: "He taught me to use line to show body, and not to seek light and shadow on the canvas, because light and shadow are external. Rather, one must grasp the existence of the
object, and strengthen that existence. He taught me to paint boldly, and pursue my own style." He liked to use creative methods which could be swiftly executed such as watercolour or sketching to capture different moods and colours, which fill his works with a sense of vitality and simplicity.
The 1957 work Temple (Lot407) spotlights his command of texture and lustre. It marks the artist's shift away from the characteristics of his paintings during his years at the School of Art and Technology, and towards an emphasis on colours and texture. Shiy De-Jinn said, "It was only around this time that I came to have an understanding of colours. This kind of vibrant colours are perfect for depicting the subtropical sunshine and scenery of Taiwan." From the late 1950s to early 1960s, Shiy De-Jinn created many works around the themes of Taiwanese temples and markets, such as Street Vendor (Lot413) from 1961 and Fishing Village in Matsu (Lot412) from 1962. The works reveal his love for traditional Taiwanese architecture, and the people and landscape of rural villages in his late years.
Meanwhile, the artist also took inspiration from the brushwork of Bernard Buffett. The simple and clear line became a distinctive feature of Shiy de-jinn's art, and this technique is featured in Portrait of Jeannette (Lot 415). The subject is American painter Jeannette Caviness, she and her husband Colonel Roy B. Caviness were stationed with the U.S. Armed Forces in Taipei in 1958. Before their departure from Taiwan in 1961, Jeanette studied painting from Shiy de-Jinn, and this spontaneous sketch is a memento of their friendship. The oil painting Portrait of Jeannette (Lot 28) from evening sale and Deer in the Forest (Lot 409) from the day sale were also gifted to Jeannette by the artist.
In 1966, Shiy De-jinn ended his four-year travels in Europe and the U.S., and he held a solo exhibition in Hong Kong as he passed by the city. With his passion for capturing the scenery that he saw, the artist created the sketch Squatters' Huts (Lot 411) of the city. He used a sharp, precise contour as the main structure and enlivened it with colours to depict variations that are fresh, simple and richly textured. It showcases his exceptional command of drawing techniques where he rarely did a preliminary sketch while capturing his subject with precision, which was the result of his dedicated practice in creating lines. At this point, Shiy De-jinn's landscape has shifted from the serene countryside in his early works to minimalist imagery. The momentum of the stroke is emphasized over the creation of atmospherics, and it embodies an illustration-like charm.
After his return to Taiwan, Shiy De-jinn immersed himself in exploring the landscapes and local customs of Taiwan. In 1968, he initiated the "Bringing Art to the Countryside" movement. With his sketch book, paint and canvas, he travelled across the country to create sketches and paintings of people in the rural areas whereas in 1971, he created Woman on the Rattan Chair (Lot414). After moving to Taiwan in 1948, Shiy Dejinn left his footsteps across the country, and encapsulated the natural and human landscapes of Taiwan with his paintbrush. He also undertook research on ancient architecture and folk arts, which led him to another zenith in his artistic career.
A major Taiwanese painter, Shiy De-jinn was born in Sichuan in 1923. During his student years in Chengdu, he studied with painter Pang Xunqin who had been educated in France, and came into contact with the work of modern Western painters such as Picasso and Matisse. In 1943 he was admitted to Sichuan Provincial School of Art and Technology, where he studied with Lin Fengmian and devoted his attention to exploring the line as the subject of painting. While cultivating the Chinese essence of his art practice, he also read extensively on theories of Western painting and worked on developing his own painting style. Christie's presents an eclectic selection of Shiy De-Jinn's early works from the 1950s to 1970s, which marks the theme of this sale. The works are also diverse in medium, as they include sketch, watercolour and three rare oil paintings by the artist. In their expression and style, these works illuminate the diversity that underlies the early years of Shiy De-Jinn's artistic development.
In 1962, the U.S. State Department sent a delegation to Taiwan to select modern painters for invitation to exchange in the U.S., and Shiy De-Jinn endeavoured to earn his place in the programme. He spent the next four years travelling the U.S. and Europe. Throughout his travels, Shiy De-Jinn was deeply inspired by Western avant-garde art. It impelled him to turn to and contemplate the profound traditional Chinese culture as the source of his creative inspirations. The 1967 work Horses (Lot408) was created at this point in his artistic development. Embracing Pop Art, the popular Western avant-garde art of the time, he used repetitive subjects to emphasize the organic nature of objects. He revamped the art of moulded picture bricks from Han Dynasty (Fig 1) the bright red colour that is widely used in Taiwanese temple paintings, illustrating a humanistic concern towards Chinese folk arts in this unique creation for its time. Besides the intricate details, the line delineates the existence of the subject in this work, which stands out as one of the few Chinese folk art creations by Shiy De-Jinn.
As Shiy De-Jinn noted, he was influenced by Lin Fengmian in his emphasis on the line: "He taught me to use line to show body, and not to seek light and shadow on the canvas, because light and shadow are external. Rather, one must grasp the existence of the
object, and strengthen that existence. He taught me to paint boldly, and pursue my own style." He liked to use creative methods which could be swiftly executed such as watercolour or sketching to capture different moods and colours, which fill his works with a sense of vitality and simplicity.
The 1957 work Temple (Lot407) spotlights his command of texture and lustre. It marks the artist's shift away from the characteristics of his paintings during his years at the School of Art and Technology, and towards an emphasis on colours and texture. Shiy De-Jinn said, "It was only around this time that I came to have an understanding of colours. This kind of vibrant colours are perfect for depicting the subtropical sunshine and scenery of Taiwan." From the late 1950s to early 1960s, Shiy De-Jinn created many works around the themes of Taiwanese temples and markets, such as Street Vendor (Lot413) from 1961 and Fishing Village in Matsu (Lot412) from 1962. The works reveal his love for traditional Taiwanese architecture, and the people and landscape of rural villages in his late years.
Meanwhile, the artist also took inspiration from the brushwork of Bernard Buffett. The simple and clear line became a distinctive feature of Shiy de-jinn's art, and this technique is featured in Portrait of Jeannette (Lot 415). The subject is American painter Jeannette Caviness, she and her husband Colonel Roy B. Caviness were stationed with the U.S. Armed Forces in Taipei in 1958. Before their departure from Taiwan in 1961, Jeanette studied painting from Shiy de-Jinn, and this spontaneous sketch is a memento of their friendship. The oil painting Portrait of Jeannette (Lot 28) from evening sale and Deer in the Forest (Lot 409) from the day sale were also gifted to Jeannette by the artist.
In 1966, Shiy De-jinn ended his four-year travels in Europe and the U.S., and he held a solo exhibition in Hong Kong as he passed by the city. With his passion for capturing the scenery that he saw, the artist created the sketch Squatters' Huts (Lot 411) of the city. He used a sharp, precise contour as the main structure and enlivened it with colours to depict variations that are fresh, simple and richly textured. It showcases his exceptional command of drawing techniques where he rarely did a preliminary sketch while capturing his subject with precision, which was the result of his dedicated practice in creating lines. At this point, Shiy De-jinn's landscape has shifted from the serene countryside in his early works to minimalist imagery. The momentum of the stroke is emphasized over the creation of atmospherics, and it embodies an illustration-like charm.
After his return to Taiwan, Shiy De-jinn immersed himself in exploring the landscapes and local customs of Taiwan. In 1968, he initiated the "Bringing Art to the Countryside" movement. With his sketch book, paint and canvas, he travelled across the country to create sketches and paintings of people in the rural areas whereas in 1971, he created Woman on the Rattan Chair (Lot414). After moving to Taiwan in 1948, Shiy Dejinn left his footsteps across the country, and encapsulated the natural and human landscapes of Taiwan with his paintbrush. He also undertook research on ancient architecture and folk arts, which led him to another zenith in his artistic career.