Lee Man Fong

This work is in good overall condition as viewed. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals very tiny and minor spots of restoration, mostly on the bottom half of the work. Framed.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

“Lee Man Fong managed to utilized tradition without being bound by it, and thereby created an entirely fresh and individual style for himself… His portraits are remarkably life-like, fresh and moving and at the same time full of artistic individuality.”
– K.C. Low¹

Though born in the Chinese province of Guandong, Lee Man Fong decided to spend most of his life in Southeast Asia. The maestro was sent to Europe after having been awarded a Milano scholarship shortly after World War II. During his six years in Europe, he refined his aptitude in painting with skillful verisimilitude.  However, upon tracing his oeuvre, it is evident but his Chinese roots always resonated with him. Finding an affinity with two geographically polar visual canons, he produced works that reflect a dynamic synthesis of Eastern and Western fundamentals, ultimately crafting an innovative aesthetic dialect.  

When observing the present lot, it is evident that the artist painted with the exactitude and calligraphic brushwork of a Chinese ink painter, despite employing the forgiving, Western medium of oil paint. Titled Combing Hair, the present lot expounds the loveliness of sisterly comradery and maternal kinship. With downcast eyes and sincere smiles, the charming sitters are oblivious to the artist’s gaze, engrossed in their mundane, daily tasks of grooming and nurturing a baby. These exquisite subjects serve as representations of the bucolic Bali lifestyle and the feminine beauty that captivated the curious artist. He has captured their elegant physiques by utilizing an earthy palette, delineating their poised outlines with soft lines, and adorning them with cascading drapery that at once conceal and reveal their voluptuous forms.

Radiating with a quiet serenity, this work gives us insight into Balinese island existence from an anthropological viewpoint, filtered through the lens of a Chinese painter. Though the act of combing hair is rather simplistic, in this image it provides an insight into the camaraderie and social rapport between two affable maidens. In this special work, the sensitive painter finds beauty and meaning in the otherwise banal aspects of quotidian life, elevating them to a loftier level.

¹Ho Kung-Shang, Michelle Loh, The Oil Paintings of Lee Man Fong, Art Book Co. Ltd.,Singapore, 2014, pg. 9.