PROVENANCE:

Collection of Liao Shu-chung, the forth son of the artist



This painting is to be sold with a certificate of authenticity and a picture of the artist's family.

Located near the mouth of the Tamsui River in Taipei County, Guanyin Mountain has always been a key scenic spot in Taiwan. In earlier times, painters liked to sketch in the hills above Tamsui, looking down on the township and its river views from above, with Guanyin Mountain across the river in the distance.

With bright and expressive colors, Guanyin Mountain was finished in 1974, at the peak of Liao's later career. After finishing this painting, he even took it with him to the United States, as a gift to his fourth son, Liao Shu-chung's, who lived abroad. The artist loved his family dearly and offered them his landscape paintings as keepsakes. His 1975 masterpiece "Toledo in Spain" was part of Liao Shu-chung's collection until 1988, when it was purchased by the Taipei Fine Arts Museum and became an important part of their collection.

Liao Chi-chun was praised as the magician of colors for his unique perspective and bold use of vivid, primary colors. His depiction of Guanyin Mountain is a magnificent river scene. Though not huge in size, the painting impresses its viewers with its confident grandeur. From the top to the bottom, the picture is divided into three sections – the pale blue sky presenting the azure Guanyin Mountain, the Tamsui River flowing slowly, and the houses sitting tightly next to each other – all artistically spaced, and presents a harmonious and balanced whole. And the riotous colors of the bright yellow sailboat, the brilliant red church spire, the chalk-white walls, and the verdant trees decorate the picture with a vigorous playfulness, making it a feast for the viewer's eyes.