SANYU 常玉

SANYU: His Life and Complete Works in Oil
(Set of Two Volumes)

Author

Rita Wong


Publisher

The Li Ching Cultural and Educational Foundation, Hatje Cantz Verlag GmbH


Date of Publication

2024.04


ISBN

978-3-7757-5680-8


Language

English / French / Chinese


Binding

Hardcover


Price

NT$ 7,500


Volume One of Sanyu: His Life and Complete Works in Oil draws upon archival material, photographs, letters, and stories recounted by people who knew him to trace Sanyu’s life from his early years in China and Japan to his tragic death in Paris, impoverished and forgotten. We follow him from his journey in 1920 to Paris, where he delved into the world of sketching from live models, to his exploration of and lifelong commitment to painting in oil, to his continued participation in Salon and other exhibitions, hoping for the success that was never to be, to his experiences in New York, and back to Paris, where he matured as an artist despite insurmountable difficulties.

Today, Sanyu is one of the most respected and admired of modern Chinese artists, attracting the attention of scholars, his works coveted by collectors. An examination of his life reveals that it was precisely the polarities and tensions Sanyu experienced that spurred him to create a unique pictorial language that dynamically integrated the spirit of Western modernity with centuries-old Chinese traditions. Sanyu metamorphosed from a Chinese artist of the modern period to a modernist with Chinese cultural roots. These intersecting dynamics resulted in a hybridization previously unseen.

Volume Two of Sanyu: His Life and Complete Works in Oil comprises the catalogue raisonné of the 321 known works in oil by Sanyu (Chang Yu, 1895–1966) on mirror, canvas, masonite, board, or paper. A catalogue raisonné is a critical, comprehensive, and systematic compilation of the known oeuvre of a single artist in a given medium or combination of media. It prioritizes authenticity, supported by records of provenance, exhibitions, and publications. Conceived of in Europe in the eighteenth century, catalogues raisonnés have been compiled for most major Western artists by scholars, authorized foundations, family estates, and combinations thereof.

It is hoped that this catalogue raisonné, with contributions by collectors, scholars, expert imaging specialists, photographers, and scientists, will elevate the scholarship on Sanyu and enhance the understanding of his art, ensuring the continuation and wide dissemination of his legacy.

Distributors

Taiwan

Li Ching Foundation

Other Areas

Amazon