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拍品专文
Zhang Daqian embarked on an expedition to Dunhaung in 1941 to study the magnificent Buddhist murals. While travelling, Zhang went through Gansu and Qinghai provinces, and encountered the Tibetan tribe for the very first time. Inspired by the richness of the Tibetan culture, he made many sketches to record what he saw. The expedition proved to be a creative breakthrough for Zhang, because when he returned in 1943, he developed a new style and reached the zenith of his mastery for figure paintings. Executed in 1945, where he lodged in the Zhaojue Buddhist temple in Chengdu, Tibetan Dancer is an excellent example of his new style where meticulous fine-line brushwork, rhythmic double lines and opulent colours are emphasized. From studying the Dunhaung murals, Zhang developed sensitivity to certain details like hands, hairdos, face, and clothes. Historical accuracy also became increasingly important; although he worked from memory, he noted that he never included anything that he had not actually seen for himself. A very similar piece created in 1946 was sold in our saleroom in 2006 (see illustration).
Tibetan Dancer is seen here performing the drunken dancing, with her arm raised and holding a bowl, in full splendour of the bancha - a traditional herder dress, which consists of an animal cap, a fur-lined wrap around robe, with the right sleeve worn empty. Meticulous attention to detail is given to illustrating the texture of the costume, as the artist applies numerous feather-like strokes on top of a layer of colour to convey the softness of the fur. He also applied multiple layers of ink to give a quality of thickness to the fabric. Another significant feature of the painting is the red colour of the costume. The colour is unique to Zhang because it is the result of the artist mixing minerals to create a pigment inspired by the Dunhaung Buddist murals. The figure's beautifully elongated hands and fingers are influenced by the same tradition. Zhang's love for Peking opera is also evident in the face of the Tibetan woman. Her makeup resembles actors on the stage of the Peking opera, where the complexion is pasty white, with ample rouge on the cheeks creating a chiselled effect. The Tibetan theme is rare in Zhang's oeuvre, making Tibetan Dancer a unique painting.
Tibetan Dancer is seen here performing the drunken dancing, with her arm raised and holding a bowl, in full splendour of the bancha - a traditional herder dress, which consists of an animal cap, a fur-lined wrap around robe, with the right sleeve worn empty. Meticulous attention to detail is given to illustrating the texture of the costume, as the artist applies numerous feather-like strokes on top of a layer of colour to convey the softness of the fur. He also applied multiple layers of ink to give a quality of thickness to the fabric. Another significant feature of the painting is the red colour of the costume. The colour is unique to Zhang because it is the result of the artist mixing minerals to create a pigment inspired by the Dunhaung Buddist murals. The figure's beautifully elongated hands and fingers are influenced by the same tradition. Zhang's love for Peking opera is also evident in the face of the Tibetan woman. Her makeup resembles actors on the stage of the Peking opera, where the complexion is pasty white, with ample rouge on the cheeks creating a chiselled effect. The Tibetan theme is rare in Zhang's oeuvre, making Tibetan Dancer a unique painting.