PROVENANCE:

"Pink Chrysanthemums in a White Vase" is one of Sanyu's few dated works, completed in 1931. The late scholar and Sanyu expert Antoine Chen thinks that the years around 1930 mark an important creative peak, as well as the most outwardly successful period in the artist's entire life, a time when he received much acknowledgment and appreciation. One of those who admired Sanyu's talent was the well-known writer and art collector-cum- dealer Henri-Pierre Roché (1879-1959), who began to sponsor the artist in 1929, buying many of his paintings (and helping to sell others to friends), and becoming something like Sanyu's agent - a connection that lasted for about three years.

At the turn of the 20th century, Roché - a gifted journalist and author - was very active in the art circles of Paris, meeting and becoming friends with numerous aspiring artists, and having a keen eye for spotting outstanding talent. In 1906, he introduced a young and still relatively unknown Spanish artist named Picasso to the renowned Jewish- American art dealer Gertrude Stein and her younger brother. Other famous artists who had a close relationship with Roché during crucial phases of their career included Marie Laurencin, George Braque, Constantin Brancusi, Marcel Duchamp, and Ebihara Konosuke. They all owed at least some of their later success to Roché's generous support and sponsorship. A rumor at the time had it that in his own residence, Roché had paintings of only two artists: Henri Matisse and Sanyu, and that he frequently praised Sanyu's artistic gifts in the presence of friends. According to Scarlette and Philippe Reliquet's jointly authored book Henri- Pierre Roché, L'Enchanteur Collectionneur, by 1931 Roché had collected 111 of Sanyu's oil paintings, and some 600 of his drawings. It is thus no exaggeration to claim that in addition to being a close friend and admirer of the artist, Roché was also one of the most important connoisseurs and collectors of Sanyu's work.

This lot, "Pink Chrysanthemums in a White Vase", is one of the works previously in Henry-Pierre Roché's collection. Back in 1921, Roché met Mrs. Yvonne Vierne, who had just opened a little bookshop in the sixth arrondissement's rue Bonaparte under her own name. In 1924, she was joined by Madeleine de Harting, who helped to run the store. The shop's name was now changed to La Porte Etroite, after the turn-of-the-century novel by French writer and Nobel Prize winner André Gide (1869-1951). The bookshop was rather tiny - easily the smallest store on the entire rue Bonaparte - but had a charming atmosphere. The owners did not forget to ask Gide for his consent to use the title of his novel as the name for the bookshop, which was on the same street as the Fine Arts Institute of Paris. Thus the emphasis naturally fell on publishing and selling art magazines, critiques and essays, and other books and brochures dealing with art and related topics. The store received much support and recognition from art critics and other people connected with Paris' art circles. Between 1925 and 1928, André Gide, Maurice Sachs, and Henri-Pierre Roché all had their critiques and art essays published by La Porte Etroite.

Via the bookshop, Mrs. Vierne and Roché became closely acquainted, and more often than not Roché would mention his friend with gratitude in the forewords to his works. Over time, Roché's enthusiasm and appreciation for Sanyu's art did not fail to rub off on many of his friends and acquaintances. Pink Chrysanthemums in a White Vase was one of the paintings from his large collection of Sanyu works that Roché gave as a present to Mrs. Vierne, who treasured it for her whole life before bequeathing it to her family on her death. It stayed in the family's possession until 2004.

When Sanyu arrived from China to the City of Light in 1921, he immediately became embroiled in what has been termed Les Années Folles ("The Crazy Years"), witnessing one of the most exciting times in European art and literature: after the ravages of WWI, the "old continent" was still reeling from economic difficulties and the aftermath of disaster, but in the city of Paris this led to a sort of epicurean libertarianism, an untrammeled pursuit of pleasure and excitement, but also of new forms of expression in literature and fine arts. For a time, Paris again became the most modern city of Europe, a magnet for people with creative talent, be it in the realms of art and fashion, or music and writing. In many ways, Sanyu, born to well-to-do parents and by nature a bit of a playboy, it in quite well in this environment. He could play the mandolin, was good at tennis and billiards, smoked a water pipe and loved to spend hours sitting in a café watching people come and go. He also owned an expensive camera, which he used to take pictures during parties or outings with friends and colleagues. With his gregarious character and fondness of good times, Sanyu was pretty much in his element in the roaring twenties of Paris. In his works of that period, shades of white and pink are the dominant colors, deftly employed to depict the elegance and exuberant high life of France's capital. This wave of wild abandon and romantic devotion to the arts and good living lasted until about 1930, and its spirit was later captured very succinctly in Edith Piaf's signature song, "La Vie en Rose". In this tune, we may also discover some resonances of the irst half of Sanyu's life.

The subject matter of "Pink Chrysanthemums in a White Vase" are English daisies, also known as meadow daisies, a kind of chrysanthemum that was Sanyu's favorite, and which he depicted in many of his still lifes. The whole painting is imbued with a soft and gentle quality, a beauty that is at once reserved and attractive to the eye. The pastel tones of the blooming flowers, instantly lovable in their apparent fragility, play off the subtle elegance of the plain white Chinese-style vase. The densely overlapping blossoms create a sense of depth without overburdening the composition, inviting the observer's eyes to rest on the natural focal point of the painting. The vase's contours are outlined with grayish lines somewhat darker than the pastel white of its main body, which virtually seems to loat in the air, in places almost merging with the background, but never failing to accentuate the flowers and surrounding space. While the coloring is modern and Western, the concept of "leaving some spaces blank" (liubai) is classical Chinese, reaching all the way back to the Eastern tradition of finding inspiration in simple arrangements and understatement. The reddish curtains framing the picture on both sides add another layer of spatial organization and balance, at the same time setting off the white vase in the middle even more effectively. As usual, Sanyu excels when it comes to achieving maximum visual effect with minimal means: pale, unassuming shapes and shades yet manage to conjure up impressive rhythms and patterns that are refreshingly unconventional, allowing the still life to come alive with the artist's extraordinary flair. Like protagonists on a stage, the chrysanthemums in the vase shine in the spotlight that is a projection of Sanyu's own self (according to many critics, the same can be said of the lowers and animals in most of the artist's work). In this speciic painting, extra verve is derived from the all-pervading mood of magniicence and freedom that was typical for "Les Années Folles".

Evidently, Sanyu was quite satisfied with "Pink Chrysanthemums in a White Vase", since he signed it meticulously (on the painting's lower right) in both Chinese and French, and even added the date of completion, 1931. Similarly, Mrs. Yvonne Vierne and her family must have been extraordinarily fond of this particular painting, as they kept it in their sole possession for many decades, passing it on as an heirloom and treasure. And so this painting provides more than impressive proof of the artist's consummate skill and talent: it also bears witness to the lasting effects of friendship and the pleasures of collecting beautiful art.