The Elegance of Simplicity
In the Cultural Revolution in 1966, Wu Guanzhong's works created during his time in France and upon his return to China was largely destroyed . Judging by the current holdings of art museums, there remain just a dozen or so oil paintings from his pre-1966 oeuvre, making them exceedingly scarce. In 1963, Wu Guanzhong went to sketches by the Fu Chun River and the Yan Dang Mountain in Zhejiang. A comparison with works produced in the same locale by the artist in the same year reveals that Peach Blossom was indeed conceived in this very backdrop. As recorded in The Complete Works of Wu Guanzhong Volume Two, this piece stands as the sole floral creation by the artist in 1963, bearing profound significance, for it is a treasure that one can hardly come across.
Peach Blossom reflects Wu Guanzhong's artistic ideology - "Unbroken Kite String", signifying that art creation should stay grounded in life and draw directly from it. During his sojourn along the banks of the Fuchun River, the artist depicted the flourishing scene of peach blossoms before him, which resonates closely with the Western Impressionist masters in their pursuit of capturing life's essence and imbuing it with a humanistic sentiment. When we contrast this piece with the iconic work Almond Blossoms by Impressionist maestro Vincent van Gogh, it becomes evident that both paintings exude a similarly lively and vigorous aura in their depiction of the tree trunks. Wu Guanzhong once referred to Van Gogh as a great humanism, emphasizing that his artworks convey deep meanings and a wealth of emotions that go well beyond the literal expression of the canvas. Peach Blossom, painted in 1963, falls within the era when Wu Guanzhong was creating artworks under the risks of criticism in the 1960s. The artwork's tranquil scenes provide a stark contrast to the harsh realities of the time, so one easily picture the artist infusing his inner vitality and hopeful blessings for the uncertain future into the landscapes he depicted, as in Chinese culture, peach blossoms have traditionally symbolized happiness and good fortune. As far back as the Zhou Dynasty, in the Book of Songs, blooming peach blossoms were already used as a symbol for the happiness of bride-to-be, reflecting people's aspirations for a better life, which resonates with how artist express himself through his paintings.
This artwork features a distinctive composition, showcasing a spatial structure influenced by the "Three Distances" used in traditional Chinese landscape painting. It breaks away from the Western tradition of focal perspective, laying a crucial foundation for the artist's later works to further enhance the abstract elements. Wu Guanzhong's artwork employs a unique blend of perspectives—looking up, looking down, and eye-level composition. In the forefront, the peach blossoms right before the viewer's eyes. The peach branches and flower leaves painted with vivid reds, greens, and pure whites, and the rich texture of the oil paint preserved the artist's raw energy, speed, and emotions during the creative process. Amidst the leaves' tips, there are distant homes and fields. Wu skillfully uses warm yellows and blue greens to highlight the overall simple and pure scene. Upon closer inspection, the delicate dashes of vermilion red akin to the lively movements of passersby, showcasing the artist's exceptional craftsmanship.
Peach Blossom was exhibited at the Wu Guanzhong Art Exhibition held at the Taipei History Museum in 1997. In addition to being showcased in the exhibition catalog, this work is also included in the book Wu Guanzhong's Paintings Selection: 1960s-1990s, published by China Three Gorges Publishing House in Beijing in 1996, Selected Works of Chinese Contemporary Art (Volume 1): Wu Guanzhong, published by the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts in 1997, and in The Complete Works of Wu Guanzhong II, published by Hunan Fine Arts Publishing House in 2007, which provide ample evidence of the academic and collectible value of this artwork.
Wu Guanzhong rarely choose to paint flowers that represented wealth and good luck, among which peach blossoms are even more rare. Among his similar works, Plum Blossoms, born in the 1970s, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong Modern Art Evening Sale in spring of 2022 for 103,927,000 Hong Kong dollars; similarly themed Peach Blossoms (61.1 x 46.3 cm) sold at 2015's Sotheby's Hong Kong Contemporary Art Evening Sale achieved a higher selling price of 44,440,000 Hong Kong dollars compared to the current undervalued estimate of this piece; The Season of Peach Blossoms, created in 1996, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong Modern Art Evening Sale in the spring of 2023 for 13,760,000 Hong Kong dollars.
道是無華卻有華
經歷1966年「文化大革命」，吳冠中在法國期間及回國後的創作多數被銷毀， 以目前所有美術館館藏來看，1966年前所創作之油畫約僅存十餘件，極為珍罕。1963年，吳冠中到浙江富春江及雁蕩山寫生，若對照藝術家同年於富春江畔創作的作品，則可知《桃花》正是誕生於同一取景地；據《吳冠中全集第二卷》記載，本作為藝術家1963年所創作的唯一花卉作品，極具意義，可遇不可求。《桃花》體現吳冠中的創作主張 — 「風箏不斷線」，意指藝術創作不能脫離生活，而是要從生活中直接得來；藝術家在富春江畔採風期間，描繪眼前桃花盛開之景，與西方印象派大師貼近生活，富有人文主義情懷的選題，尤有呼應。若以本作對照印象派巨匠文森·梵高的經典名作《杏花開》，更可見兩作所呈現的樹幹姿態，散發同樣蓬勃的生命力。吳冠中曾稱梵谷是偉大的人道主義者，其作品所傳達的意涵以及豐富情感，遠超畫面的具象呈現。《桃花》 完成於1963年，正值吳冠中在六〇年代，冒著被批判的風險所創作之時，現實的艱苦條件與作品所呈現静谧安然的畫面成了莫大對比，不難推想藝術家將潛藏內心的生命力，以及對未知的將來所抱有的祝福與希望，寄寓筆下風景：桃花在中國文化之中，素有喜慶與吉祥之象徵意義。早至周朝的 《詩經》，已經以盛放的桃花比喻待嫁新娘之喜悅，寄託著人們對美好生活的嚮往，呼應藝術家以畫自況之意。
文森·梵高 《杏花開》 油畫畫布; 73.3 x 92.4 cm; 一八九〇年作 梵高博物館藏
本作構圖匠心獨運，畫面所展現的空間結構，採用了中國山水畫散點透視的「三遠法」，打破西方以焦點透視觀察景物的侷限， 奠定藝術家後期創作進一步增強抽象性元素的重要基礎。吳冠中採用仰視、俯視、平視的視點構圖：前景的桃花開展於觀者眼前，桃花枝椏以及由紅綠、皚白彩點構成的花葉，豐厚的油彩肌理保留了藝術家在創作過程中的力量、速度和情感；梢葉之間亦可見遠景的民居和田野，藝術家巧以暖黃和青綠點亮整體質樸純粹的畫面，細觀更可見一丹紅點染，猶似路人的動態，別具匠心。
《桃花》曾出展於1997年台北歷史博物館舉行的 〈吳冠中畫展〉, 除展覽畫冊外，本作亦收錄於1996年北京中國三峽出版社出版之《吳冠中畫選 60 年代-90 年代》、1997年由高雄山美術館出版之《中國當代藝術選集（1）吳冠中》 及2007年湖南美術出版社出版之 《吳冠中全集II》，足證本作學術及收藏價值。
吳冠中罕以富喜慶吉祥之意的花卉作主題，其中桃花更屬稀有。相似作品中，創作於七〇年代的《紅梅》於2022年香港蘇富比春季現代藝術晚拍以103,927,000 港幣成交；同樣以桃花為題的 《小桃紅》（61.1 x 46.3 cm）則於2015年香港蘇富比秋季現當代藝術晚拍以44,440,000港幣，成交高於本作目前的低估價；誕生於1996年的《桃花季節》，則於2023年香港蘇富比春季現代藝術晚拍以13,760,000港幣成交。