Liu Yong

Private Collection, Asia

Generally in good condition overall.
"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."

Born in 1949 in Taipei, as a writer, scholar and painter, Liu Yong is a self-proclaimed contemporary literati and, as he claims himself, one who has mastered the art of living. Rooted in classical tradition, he explores various themes in his ink paintings that range from meticulous realism in his still-lives, to modernist abstraction in his landscapes.

The famous Northern Song poet Su Shi is known to have described the paintings of earlier Tang dynasty Wang Wei poetry and his poetry as painting. The same philosophical romanticism can describe Liu Yong's brushwork, where his hyper-real, fine gongbi painting is imbued with a poetic idealism. Bluebird and the Devil's Trumpets (Lot 49) is an atmospheric depiction of a bird in flight, drawn to the sweetness of the trumpet flower. Similar to his own writing on art and culture, his paintings are like his words, astute, realistic yet sentimental and infused with a profound understanding of life itself.

Liu Yong's bird and flower paintings are attributed to his rigorous ornithological and botanical knowledge. It is fair to describe him as a 'technical literati,' owing to the impressive realism and detailed depictions of birds and flowers. His meticulous artistic process begins with a basic outline of the image on silk. Then on the reverse, he applys a mixture of resin and natural white pigment powder to create opacity on the silk medium. Multiple layers of white and colour are then applied to achieve a striking light and dark chiaroscuro effect.