Lot 10: Fan Chang Tien (1907-1987) Wild Hibiscus and Eight Fish

Fan Chang Tien (1907-1987)
Wild Hibiscus and Eight Fish
1984

signed with two seals of the artist, dated jiazi year (1984)
ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll

137 by 68 cm.
54 by 26 6/8 in.
For further information on this lot please visit the website

Provenance
Private Collection, Singapore
Literature
Fan Chang Tien: Homecoming of a Heritage, Singapore, 2019, p.77.
范昌乾
芙蓉八魚圖一九八四年作
款識：莫道溪小得暫安，優生何慮萍為餐。有漁妄動驚騷擾，多幸先逃入墨翰。甲子年（1984）於星洲，范昌乾。鈐印：昌乾、美意延年水墨設色紙本 立軸
來源
新加坡私人收藏
出版
《滄海遺珠：范昌乾書畫精品回國展作品集》，新加坡，2019年，頁77
Wild Hibiscus and Eight Fish
The stream is small, insignificant but peaceful,The fish will grow for their food is plentiful. At times they are disturbed by the fisherman,Some are fortunate to escape into the painter's plan.
Born in Jieyang, in the Chinese province of Guangdong, Fan Chang Tien is recognised as one of Singapore's most influential pioneer artists. His oeuvre is true to the traditions of Chinese literati painting (wenren hua) and demonstrates his mastery over the 'Three Perfections' in Chinese art: poetry, calligraphy, and painting.
After graduating from Shanghai's Xinhua Academy of Fine Arts in 1928, Fan furthered his studies at the Changming Art Academy. He studied under the guidance of renowned Shanghai School (haishang huapai) artists, including Wang Yiting, Zhu Wenyun, Pan Tianshou, as well as Wang Geyi, a direct disciple of Shanghai's Chinese ink painting master Wu Changshuo. After Fan moved to Singapore in 1956, he not only brought fresh dimensions to the local art scene but also shaped the development of Chinese ink painting there. He devoted himself wholeheartedly to nurturing a new generation of artists; many of his students became established ink painters in Singapore.
As a successor to the Shanghai School tradition of xieyi painting (the 'sketching ideas' genre), Fan subtly employed fluid lines and spontaneous brushstrokes to convey the idea of harmony between human beings and nature in his work. Renowned for his ink paintings of bamboo symbolising a gentleman's virtues, Fan was also well-versed in landscapes and flower-and-bird paintings. His art skilfully integrates pictorial imagery with calligraphic strength and poetic inscriptions expressing his inner thoughts.
The sophisticated composition of A Mountain Escape invites the viewer to fully immerse in its poetic setting and wander up the beautiful landscape. In this work, the essential elements of Chinese landscape paintings—mountains, trees, rocks, a river, and a waterfall—are all present and rendered with balance and rhythmic vitality, capturing an awe-inspiring moment in nature. The poem inscribed in the painting's upper-right corner shows Fan's humble and introverted character of not seeking fame and gain during his lifetime. His solid training in Chinese calligraphy and ink painting is also reflected in Wild Hibiscus and Eight Fish, where his seemingly effortless brushwork catches a fleeting and carefree moment of fish in motion. Moreover, this work contains a witty and humorous inscription that reveals Fan's great sense of humour. The subjects depicted in the painting—hibiscus (furong; wealth and glory), fish (yu; surplus and abundance), and the number eight... For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website