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Lot Essay
Wu Guanzhong’s fascination with the Yulong Mountains in Yunnan came from a postcard featuring a sketch of the sweeping alps by his former classmate, Li Lincan, who later became the deputy director of the Taipei National Palace Museum. It was not until almost half a century later that Wu finally visited the legendary site on a sketching trip.
Wu began to create in ink and paper in 1974. Through an inexhaustive creative process the shadow of his oil paintings slowly faded to give way to Wu’s distinct visual identity in his ink paintings. By integrating Western principles of form and colour and the Chinese pursuits of artistic conception and charm, he conceived a unique and modern semi-abstract artistic style.
Wu Guanzhong painted the current work ten years after his first visit to the Yulong Mountains. Throughout the composition Wu painted blocks in ink of varying shades, resembling the monochromatic limestone and basalt rock walls of Yulong. To balance the black and white contrast, Wu added a radiant yellow moon and light patches of pink, green and yellow that could be reflections of the moonlight and vegetations on the hillside. Wu used simple and carefree brushstrokes to create rhythmic lines to convey the gentleness of the landscape. The vista is expanded with his fluid lines capturing the moment as the Yulong Mountains reveal itself in the moonlight.
Wu began to create in ink and paper in 1974. Through an inexhaustive creative process the shadow of his oil paintings slowly faded to give way to Wu’s distinct visual identity in his ink paintings. By integrating Western principles of form and colour and the Chinese pursuits of artistic conception and charm, he conceived a unique and modern semi-abstract artistic style.
Wu Guanzhong painted the current work ten years after his first visit to the Yulong Mountains. Throughout the composition Wu painted blocks in ink of varying shades, resembling the monochromatic limestone and basalt rock walls of Yulong. To balance the black and white contrast, Wu added a radiant yellow moon and light patches of pink, green and yellow that could be reflections of the moonlight and vegetations on the hillside. Wu used simple and carefree brushstrokes to create rhythmic lines to convey the gentleness of the landscape. The vista is expanded with his fluid lines capturing the moment as the Yulong Mountains reveal itself in the moonlight.