The River Bank Scenery

1971

Oil on canvas

45.5 x 53 cm

Signed lower left Chi-chun in Chinese, C. Liao in English and dated 1971

Estimate
6,800,000 - 7,500,000
212,500 - 234,400
Sold Price
15,060,000
449,821

Ravenel Autumn Auction 2005

056

LIAO Chi-chun (Taiwanese, 1902 - 1976)

The River Bank Scenery


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EXHIBITED:


Liao Chi-chun's Memorial Exhibition: On the 20th Anniversary of His Decease, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, April 20 - June 16, 1996

ILLUSTRATED:


Lin Hsing-yueh, Liao Chi-chun (Taiwan Fine Arts Series No. 4) Artist Publishing Co., Taipei, 1992, color illustrated no. 64, p. 107; black-and-white, p. 228

Liao Chi-chun's Memorial Exhibition: On the 20th Anniversary of His Decease, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, 1996, color illustrated, pp. 126-127

Catalogue Note:

Taiwan's senior artist Liao Chi-chun is praised as a master of colors; his colors could catch the distinguishing feature of the South and also conform to the complementary color principle at the same time, delivering a sense of harmony. Especially when Liao journeyed to Europe back in the 60's, he was influenced by the abstract Expressionism which prevailed during that time, and tried to transform the painting subject into geometric point, line and plane; resulting variety of forms and compositions, and colors are more lively and untrammeled.

After seeing those beautiful scenes in Europe, Liao had painted many paintings of the scenic spots in Taiwan, such as Tamsui, Guanyin Mountain, and Tung-kang, and those paintings have gained great popularities. Many documents and pictures show that, Liao, who was born in Feng-yuan, seldom paint the scene of the Love River in Kaohsiung, once was in 1967, the other one was in 1971, which is this painting "The River Bank Scenery" In the mid 20th century, the Love River in Kaohsiung and the Tamsui River in Taipei shares the same kind of attraction; there were western buildings and streetlamp by the river bank, lovers love to stroll and have an intimate talk by the Love River during that time. Some say "The north has Tamsui, the south has Love River" Back in the old days, when people talk about Love River, it was as if they were talking about the romance of La Seine in Paris.

Finished in 1967, the colors in "The River Bank Scenery" are bright and vivid, like the glamorous Fauvism. The yellow sky and the blue water show the tropics scene in Taiwan; pink streets by the river bank ingeniously bring softness into the painting, the styling of the arch bridge and streetlamps are probably influenced by Cezanne. There are no implications of time in Liao's landscape paintings; he simply paints the subject with his feelings to it naturally. He once said: "I make use of simple yet strong colors, through contrast and emphasis to yield more color feelings, pay attention to the delight of styling when constructing with lines. This is not about the impression of a particular period of time."('T he Rainbow Across the Gap of Time - A Record of Liao Chi-chun's Painting Career',"Career Materials of Liao Chi-chun" Cathay Art Museum, 1981, p. 230-231) He always uses his sharp eyes and skillful hands to finish each of the pleasant paintings with a touch of colorful magic throughout.


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