PROVENANCE
Former collection of Federico Cappelin, Paris (acquired directlyfrom the artist)Important private collection, Europe

ILLUSTRATED
Rita Wong, Sanyu Catalogue Raisonné: Drawings andWatercolor, The Li-Ching Culture and Educational Foundation,Taipei, 2014, color illustrated, p. 45, no. D0523 (flash drive)

Sanyu's works on paper are known for the long and fluid continuous lines he makes on them, as well as the sensual portrayals of nude women using Chinese calligraphic strokes. Whether sketching with pencil and quickly using a charcoal pencil to increase the sense of volume, or a Chinese paint brush to leave gracefully fluid strokes on the paper, the final results are rarely seen modern clashes between Eastern and Western visuals. It is within such clashing visuals that the charm of Sanyu's sketches can truly be seen.

One of the most important expressionist painters of the early 20th century, Egon Schiele was a master at depicting twisted figures through sketches. The lines found in his sketches are strung tightly by the tension of the blaze of emotions within his drawings. The similarity between these two is that they both portray the human body using exaggerated shapes and styles. In comparison to Sanyu's works filled with literary and humanistic tones, Schiele's works give off an arrogant and sadistic visual impact. The German philosopher Benjamin once said, In the glimmer of light, the soul that strolls alone leisurely through the streets belongs to Baudelaire, Paris becomes for the first time, the topic of lyric poem. Sanyu and Schiele, both lonely souls that loved freedom, both artists that enjoyed using the body movements of the figures within their drawings to express their own emotions, and both with the same insistence on their own principles in regards to art.

This work, “The Hidden Beauty”, is one of the most unique pieces of work by Sanyu presented at this auction. The concealment of the face within the drawing makes it impossible to use facial expressions to guess the emotions of the figure in the drawing. The disproportionately buxom upper body, buttocks, and legs are typical of the female figures depicted in Sanyu's drawings. The figure's body language is unique and mellow, much like the flowing clouds and running water depicted in the style of filament drawings inspired by the spinning of silk by silkworm, reflecting the unique charm of the essence of Sanyu's drawings.