Page 366 - 亚洲二十世纪及当代艺术

99 艾中信 1915-2003 Ai Zhongxin

ϪیอӀ The Southern New Village
ذ੹ ೥̺ Oil on canvas
1
ɓɘɘɧϋЪ 52 x 56 cm. 20 /2 × 22 in.
Painted in 1993
ಛᗆ
ʕڦ€̸ɨϪیอӀ Ўʕڦ 1993€೥ߠ Signed in Chinese on bottom left; titled
and signed in Chinese and dated on the
̈و reverse
2007 ϋdЎʕڦ೥ණ‘d̏ԯߕஔᙲᅂ̈وٟd
LITERATURE
̏ԯdୋ 76 ࠫ 2007, Painting of Ai Zhongxin, Beijing
2007 ϋdЎʕڦᖵஔΌණ‘dʕ਷ɽϵ߅Όࣣ Art and Photography Publishing House,
̈وٟd̏ԯdୋ 178 ʿ 205 ࠫ Beijing, p.76
Ը๕ 2007, The Catalogue Raisonné of Ai
ତԭݲӷɛᔛ࢕ٜટᒅІᖵஔ࢕͉ɛ Zhongxin, Encyclopedia of China
Publishing House, Beijing, p. 178 & 205
HKD 140,000 – 200,000 PROVENANCE ЎʕڦʞϼߡΝߕ৫੖ٸ‘dذ੹೥̺d43 x 53 cmd
1953 ϋЪdשርϓʹᄆ 1,273,000 ʩಥ࿆
USD 17,900 – 25,600 Acquired directly by present private
Asian collector from the artist

Born in 1915 in Jiangsu, Ai Zhongxin was an outstanding artist aspirations.” Additionally, two art catalogues of Ai Zhongxin
and art educator. He was admitted to the Art Department of specifically selected tree-themed works as covers when they
the National Central University’s College of Education at the were published in 2007, further proving the significance of
age of 21, studying oil painting and sketching under Xu Beihong this theme. Throughout his life, he only completed less than
and Wu Zuoren, learning art theory under Fu Baoshi, and 24 works with this theme, while this piece is one of them, and
studying landscape painting under Huang Junbi, integrating the only one with a delicate and charming pink colour scheme,
the essence of various schools. After graduating in 1940, he making it exceptionally rare.
was recruited to stay at the university as a teacher due to his The artwork depicts the new style of Ai Zhongxin’s hometown
excellent performance. He worked in the field of education Jiangnan after the reform and opening up. In the painting, the
for over half a century and held important positions such sunrise illuminates the high sky, tinted into warm orange and
as professor at the China Academy of Fine Arts and deputy yellow. The sky near the horizon is a blue-purple colour, as if
dean of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. As an outstanding still quietly sleeping. Between the two layers of warm and cool
representative of the second generation of Chinese oil colours, Ai Zhongxin delicately transitions with a sophisticated
painting, Ai Zhongxin devoted himself to the study of realistic grey tone, showcasing the dynamic natural scenery. The fertile
oil painting, extracting art that reflected the pulse of the times fields in front of the village are dyed with a splendid purple-
from social practice, and advocated “expressiveness within pink colour by the morning haze, full of the vitality hidden in the
realism.” He had a deep understanding of French Barbizon land. The trees in the foreground, occupying the largest area,
school painter Camille Corot’s lyrical landscapes, blending are depicted by Ai Zhongxin with strokes of reddish-brown and
Eastern ink painting thoughts that emphasized intention in deep cocoa, showing distinct joints and the characteristics of
brushwork. He used refined brushstrokes to paint a charm thriving growth after experiencing harsh winters. The portrayal
rooted in reality, graceful and elegant, and could be described of the branches reveals a sense of Chinese ink painting charm,
as “depicting poetry in painting.” He was referred to as the “ink with branches floating like spring clouds, sometimes clear and
and brush of Chinese oil painting” by Li Keran. His works have powerful, sometimes indistinct. Ai Zhongxin vividly presents
been collected by important institutions such as the National the misty beauty of a morning forest, creating a sense of space.
Art Museum of China, Long Museum, and Taikang Art Centre.
The simplicity of the red dots on the branches marks the
The Original Intention Remains Unchanged with the sporadic autumn leaves, resembling heavy fruit, silently telling
Passage of Time the story of changing seasons and overlapping years. The old
The painting The Southern New Village brought by this autumn tree here is like a reflection of the artist himself, baptized by the
auction is an important representative work of Ai Zhongxin’s years, silently guarding the hard-won rebirth. The tenderness
art during the peak of his career, with trees as the protagonist. and nostalgia for his hometown, the emotions of farewelling
At that time, after more than ten years of hiatus due to the to the old and welcoming the new, and the firmness of silent
Cultural Revolution, he was able to resume creating art and vigilance are vividly portrayed in the tranquil atmosphere of the
travel to various places for inspiration. He was particularly fond painting, with an underlying joy of rebirth after being tested by
of painting “ancient trees” with a sense of self-identification, fire, leaving a lasting impression.
as recalled by his student Zhong Han: “During this period,
he liked to paint ancient trees, which was a reflection of his

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