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Lot Essay
Meticulously outlined and painted in vibrant, thick colour and luscious gold pigments, Zhang Daqian created this untitled work and inscribed it “in the style of Yang Sheng.” The composition and application of colour in this painting bear similarities to Zhang’s other landscapes, Snow in Tongguan Pass, which were painted around the same period. In those other examples, Zhang Daqian explicitly mentioned his inspiration from Yang Sheng of the Tang Dynasty. Zhang likely painted multiple versions of this subject.
The subject of Snow in Tongguan Pass was a highly popular motif during the Republic period. Zhang Daqian began depicting this subject in his body of work in the 1930s (an example in lot 1146). Although this painting is undated, it is believed to have been created in the mid-1940s based on the brushwork and calligraphic style.
The composition of this painting is spacious and open. In the foreground are a few shallow shores with autumn trees, and two scholars are depicted riding a boat in opposite directions. The middle ground features calm water without ripples, while in the distance, another shallow shore partially obscures a thatched cottage and a small bridge. Towering in the high and faraway background are extraordinary snow-covered peaks and ridges, occupying the main focus of the painting.
Using emerald green as the foundation colour for the lush mountains and grounds, Zhang Daqian employed cerus, a white powder, to depict clouds and snow. He further enhanced the autumn hues with cinnabar, ochre, and gold pigments. Amidst these strong contrasts, an extraordinary scene of the slanting sunset glow emerges. During this period, Zhang Daqian broke free from the constraints of Ming and Qing literati traditions, drawing inspiration from the splendid art of the Jin and Tang dynasties in Dunhuang, thus creating a new style of work.
This present work masterfully combines ink, colour, and gold with utmost grace and elegance, exuding the aura of a scholar and a profound sense of expansiveness. “Fishing by the Autumn Mountains in the Style of Yang Sheng” is a rare and exquisite piece among Zhang’s landscape masterpieces from the 1940s and 1950s.
The subject of Snow in Tongguan Pass was a highly popular motif during the Republic period. Zhang Daqian began depicting this subject in his body of work in the 1930s (an example in lot 1146). Although this painting is undated, it is believed to have been created in the mid-1940s based on the brushwork and calligraphic style.
The composition of this painting is spacious and open. In the foreground are a few shallow shores with autumn trees, and two scholars are depicted riding a boat in opposite directions. The middle ground features calm water without ripples, while in the distance, another shallow shore partially obscures a thatched cottage and a small bridge. Towering in the high and faraway background are extraordinary snow-covered peaks and ridges, occupying the main focus of the painting.
Using emerald green as the foundation colour for the lush mountains and grounds, Zhang Daqian employed cerus, a white powder, to depict clouds and snow. He further enhanced the autumn hues with cinnabar, ochre, and gold pigments. Amidst these strong contrasts, an extraordinary scene of the slanting sunset glow emerges. During this period, Zhang Daqian broke free from the constraints of Ming and Qing literati traditions, drawing inspiration from the splendid art of the Jin and Tang dynasties in Dunhuang, thus creating a new style of work.
This present work masterfully combines ink, colour, and gold with utmost grace and elegance, exuding the aura of a scholar and a profound sense of expansiveness. “Fishing by the Autumn Mountains in the Style of Yang Sheng” is a rare and exquisite piece among Zhang’s landscape masterpieces from the 1940s and 1950s.