Lot  233 Ravenel Autumn Auction 2022 Taipei

Ravenel Autumn Auction 2022 Taipei

A Sailor

Yun GEE (Chinese-American, 1906 - 1963)

1927

Oil, cardboard and mounted on panel

48.5 x 38 cm

Estimate

TWD 9,500,000-18,000,000

HKD 2,357,000-4,467,000

USD 300,400-569,300

CNY 2,130,000-4,036,000

Sold Price


Signature

Signed lower light Yun in Chinese and English, dated 1927

PROVENANCE
Sotheby's, Hong Kong, October, 17,1999, lot 124
Important private collection, Asia

+ OVERVIEW

Learning from east to west, Splendidly elegance

The Oriental Aesthetics of Yun Gee

Both Europe and the United States in the 1920s were experiencing "The Roaring Twenties", an unprecedented storm of modernization, a vigorous desire for consumption and metropolitan lifestyle, a society with the essence of anti-traditional, an infinite optimism for the future, everyone can feel that a new and completely different era is on its way coming. While in terms of art, a continuous waves of brand new artistic concepts were born, and the contention of various art schools forming a gorgeous and brilliant era.

Overviewing the artistic journey of Yun Gee, it can be categorized into "The Synchromism Period in San Francisco ", "The Lyrical Period in Paris" and "The Industrial Period in New York". Born in the East, raised in the United States, and traveled to Paris twice, Yun Gee devoted himself to participating in the international modern art movement as seen in the West with his profound oriental cultural heritage. In 1927, he was referred to Paris for the first time by the French Prince and Princess Achille Murat, the abundant artistic nutrients and the splendor epoch in Paris deeply attracted Yun Gee. During this period, in addition to the previous influence of Orphism and Synchromism, the mainstream of the art world in Paris at that time undoubtedly also influenced Yun Gee. The Cézanne-like layers of colors and the introspective spirit of regress and heal nevertheless reflect an oriental poetic feeling. Affected by the mingle among European cultures, Yun Gee tried to integrate Eastern philosophy through Western art forms, and incorporated more Eastern cultural background into his works.

The works of Yun Gee's "The Synchromism Period " were created when the artist was studying at the California School of Fine Art in San Francisco. "A Sailor" exactly is the work in this period. This piece has a cubist-like segmentation shape, complementing or contrasting colors are applied. When depicting the characters, their feelings can also accurately be captured. Yun Gee deployed many vibrant color blocks, describing the seriousness hard working attitude of the sailor, conveying his diligent atmosphere in the painting. The magnificent color of the background enables the work full of warm sentiment.

The creation of Yun Gee has transcended the limitations of the times, after several cultural exchanges, he has ingeniously achieved the essence of unique characteristics in both Eastern and Western paintings in the era experiencing the throbbing of his soul. He focuses on the display of personal cultural heritage and the presentation of thinking about the value of life, which exemplify people and objects and echo the cosmology of the oriental spirit. With the poetic oriental philosophy and the artistic language that is full of oriental sentiment, Yun Gee has bloomed with dazzles across the era.

Related Info

Modern & Contemporary Art

Ravenel Autumn Auction 2022 Taipei

Sunday, December 4, 2022, 2:00pm