Lot 189: Hung Jui-Lin , 1912-1996 Coal Miners oil on canvas

signed Hung .JL. and dated 1950 in the lower left framed oil on canvas

measurements note 46 by 63cm.; 18 by 24 7/8in.

Bai Xue Lan, Explorer of the land spirit - Tribute to the Humanist Master, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan, 1990, p.83.

It is essential to discuss Hung Jui-lin's choice to be a miner in reference to the history of the emancipation of human nature following the Enlightenment of nineteenth century Western Europe. He had read western romantic literature such as Les Miserables during his childhood. Such works secured his belief that the experience of extreme hardship was not degrading, but for a man with high aspirations it was the only path to dignity and honor. The artist of created a scene of darkness broken by shimmering light, these paintings appear to be layer upon layer of black, through which the bottom layer of light makes occasion to peek through. His oil paintings often display the contrast of the dark blacks and strong light; he makes no intent in his painting to exaggerate the suffering and dutifulness of the worker, in contrast, through the work of laborers he sublimates his life philosophy-struggle. He calls in to question the distinction between beauty and grotesque. He begins with real life, establishing new aesthetics standards.