PROVENANCE:

East Gallery, Taipei

ILLUSTRATED:

Collection of Taiwanese Fine Arts 2000 Taiwanese Arts Part II, The Association of Collectors in South Taiwan, 2000, p. 36

Liao Chi-chun was regarded as a fauvist in Taiwan. The charm of his works lie in the gorgeous colors and strong poetic flavor. He mastered landscape painting far better than others. Liao's paintings in his later years were not only sketches from nature, but featured what he had seen with an emotional filtration, so the colors he used were bright and gentle. The features were abstracted and simplified. From the selection of the colors and strokes, the transformation and the process of abstraction could be conceived. Following Liao's thoughts about the features, final figures came flowing.

Landscapes of Tamshui were Liao's favorite theme. This painting is not of large size, but quite enchanting. Merely a few rapid strokes reflect the appearance of Guanyin Mountain, the houses and the boats. The colors used are all very bright. The sky and the waters are painted light pink which received most praise for Liao. The straight strokes and clear colors seem to be the embodiment of the artist himself. Although the painting was created almost half a century ago, it still keeps touching countless people who are keen on art.