Provenance:

The signature on the back of the painting - "Les premiéres lueurs"indicates that it wan one of the collection of Mr. Chen Kuei-miao a senior dignitary in political sector in Taiwan. It was a gift presented to Mr. Chen by the painter himself. Chen Kuei-miao, a master of Chinese traditional culture, took the position of director of the National Museum of History in late 1980s and later turned to be a legislator since 1990, having been always concerned about the cultural development in Taiwan. Chu Teh-chun returned to Taiwan in 1987 and held a large-scale review exhibit in the National Museum of History. It was his first exhibit in 32 years since he left Taiwan. The exhibit was highly praised by local artists among whom Chu Ko admired him as "a master representing the spirit of Chinese monochrome with oil painting" The painter expressed his high appreciation by presenting one of his works to Chen Kuei-miao, who was in tenancy in the Museum then. To make a perfect present to a profound scholar, Chu Teh-chun must have made painstaking efforts in the painting.

Inspired by works of Rembrandt, a Dutch artist in the seventeenth century, Chu Teh-chun takes "source of lighting"as his element of art work. It turned to be the most distinctive feature of his middle and late works. "Les premiéres lueurs First Gleams"expresses the rising sun in a gloriously radiant spectacle. Embraced by faint violet, the source of lighting goes upwards and diffuses, forming a jewel-like resplendent painting. After 1990s, this painting was sent to a charity sale and later collected by the present owner.