Chu Teh-Chun (Zhu Dequn)

signed in pinyin and Chinese on each panel; signed in pinyin and Chinese, titled and dated 1979 on the reverse of each panel

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner's family
Private European Collection

The work is overall in good condition. There is a tiny scratch on the left edge of the right panel, 30 cm from the upper left corner. There are slight accretions across the surface. There is no evidence of restoration under UV light.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Chu Teh-Chun's works from his Composition Series are imbued with overwhelming sense of calligraphy. Through the artist's strong and vibrating brushstrokes, the compositions of his early works are powerful and with a perfect mix of vibrant colours. However, in this work, the artist integrates rainbow-like lines and flowing coloured cubes, typical of his works in the 1960s and 1970s, creating a beautiful sunrise landscape in the painting. The shafts of light are emanating from the horizon, achieving an extreme level of abstraction for the painting as well as epitomizing the artist's free state of mind at that time Composition not only renders the artist's passion for life, it is also reminiscent of Chinese horizontal painting scroll, displaying an expansive landscape. French critic Jean-Clarence Lambert once comments on Chu: "He is a painter of fire- of air and fire, with, besides, something incomprehensible pertaining to the particular mystery, such personal magic power makes him a unique figure within the School of Paris." The mysterious elements in Chu's painting are the oriental philosophy and art spirit Mr. Lambert long for. Chu admires Taoist philosophy and Chinese traditional landscape paintings of the Song dynasty due to their free and liberal spirits, which also echoes the Lyrical Abstraction movement that advocates an opening to personal expression in art in post-war Paris. The artist applies the form and structure which reverberates the essence of Lyrical Abstraction movement, while the idea behind his work still distills the eastern metaphysics and perspective on the universe, which makes Chu stand out among his counterparts.