Lee Man Fong

This work is in good overall condition as viewed. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals small areas of restoration on the surface of the work. Framed.
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Fluent in both Western and Eastern art, it is evident in the present lot that although Lee Man Fong utilized the more forgiving, Western medium of oil paint, he painted with the delicacy and precision of an ink artist. Finding an affinity with two seemingly polar aesthetic traditions, his opus became a spirited cross-fertilization of these realms to create a novel visual language.

Inspired by the canonical in works by Chinese Master Li Keran, Lee Man Fong optically lengthens the work by painting long, sinuous tree branches. Translucent brown hues provide a warm mist, enveloping the entire composition in a tender, dream-like embrace. Furthermore, Lee blankets the work with a layer of haze, as hints of lightly-painted petals appear through the negative space, visualizing the wind blowing through the scene. The artist purposefully positions the bull and child above an invisible backdrop, suspending them in the midst of an endless, blank road in no hurry and with no destination in mind.

The bull’s advancing body floats in mid-air, perfectly fitted to the framework of stones and trees, creating the illusion that the animal and its environment are dancing in accordant symphony to the melody of the boy’s flute. Though the boy is supposed to be riding a zealous, wild bull, he closes his eyes, unperturbed and oblivious to his physically precarious position. The artist thus displays an unspoken dialogue of trust by subtly evoking a sense of balance and security. Concentrating on the notes and pace of his tune, the serene, young boy is lost in the creation of his own music.

Given the graceful camaraderie between the child, the animal and the natural environment, the journey seems rhythmical and effortless. While Lee uses traditional Chinese ink techniques, he does not bind himself to their formal aspects and takes the artistic liberty to augment the work with a distinctive flavor. Progressive in his approach and relentless in seeking to assimilate the sensibilities that bespeak the contemporary aesthetic, Lee Man Fong is the embodiment of the reformist Chinese painter.