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Lot Essay
SCHOLARLY LADIES IN THE STUDIO : A SELECTION OF DRAWINGS BY SANYU
Christie's is very pleased to present a beautiful selection of ladies sketching in the studio (Lots 387-390) . With his genius ability to handle the intensity and depth of the line, Sanyu spent his early years in Paris depicting a variety of poses and renditions of women sketching at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. The following lots, highlighted by Lady Sketching (Lot 387), represent an exquisite selection of these beautiful drawings, each unique and representative of Sanyu's character.
ACADEMIE DE LA GRANDE CHAUMIERE : A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
Displaying a few touches of colour and affirmative lines, Lady Sketching welcomes us into the world of Sanyu in his early years in Paris. This Parisian woman was probably drawing a nude model during an open afternoon session at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, where Sanyu spent most of his time as a way to escape the formal academism of the École des Beaux Arts de Paris. At the heart of the Montparnasse art scene, Sanyu would come to observe and experiment from his interactions with European avant-garde artists from the School of Paris. Seeking new modes of representation to escape the pre-established visual language from the turn of the century, Sanyu's training in Chinese calligraphy provided him with a new-found sense of freedom in depictions of figures.
THE BEAUTY OF SIMPLE LINES
Lady Sketching epitomizes Sanyu's virtuosity of the line. One can imagine him sitting among other students in front of a nude, picking up his brush and ink, and sketching her. If a pose didn't interest him, he would sketch the students around him in ten minutes. Here, each line has a purpose and determination to highlight details: the seam of her skirt, a curl setting free from her pony-tail, focused eyes, and a loose jacket in line with Parisian fashion. Relying on his well-trained calligraphic hand, the few lines and varying degrees of intensity of colour applied with poise and rhythm are just enough to create a sense of space and volume, and express character.
AN EXPANSIVE HERITAGE
Extremely prolific during this period of his life, many drawings and watercolours executed at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière attest for Sanyu's creation of a unique aesthetic language. Exuding with confidence and simplicity, Lady Sketching beautifully exemplifies an artist's determination to achieve modernity and minimalism through the line, directly drawn from his own cultural heritage. At the heart of the first truly international artistic community, Sanyu's body of works on paper elegantly displays a perfect balance between a deep Chinese aesthetic sensitivity and a European visual language.
Christie's is very pleased to present a beautiful selection of ladies sketching in the studio (Lots 387-390) . With his genius ability to handle the intensity and depth of the line, Sanyu spent his early years in Paris depicting a variety of poses and renditions of women sketching at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. The following lots, highlighted by Lady Sketching (Lot 387), represent an exquisite selection of these beautiful drawings, each unique and representative of Sanyu's character.
ACADEMIE DE LA GRANDE CHAUMIERE : A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
Displaying a few touches of colour and affirmative lines, Lady Sketching welcomes us into the world of Sanyu in his early years in Paris. This Parisian woman was probably drawing a nude model during an open afternoon session at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, where Sanyu spent most of his time as a way to escape the formal academism of the École des Beaux Arts de Paris. At the heart of the Montparnasse art scene, Sanyu would come to observe and experiment from his interactions with European avant-garde artists from the School of Paris. Seeking new modes of representation to escape the pre-established visual language from the turn of the century, Sanyu's training in Chinese calligraphy provided him with a new-found sense of freedom in depictions of figures.
THE BEAUTY OF SIMPLE LINES
Lady Sketching epitomizes Sanyu's virtuosity of the line. One can imagine him sitting among other students in front of a nude, picking up his brush and ink, and sketching her. If a pose didn't interest him, he would sketch the students around him in ten minutes. Here, each line has a purpose and determination to highlight details: the seam of her skirt, a curl setting free from her pony-tail, focused eyes, and a loose jacket in line with Parisian fashion. Relying on his well-trained calligraphic hand, the few lines and varying degrees of intensity of colour applied with poise and rhythm are just enough to create a sense of space and volume, and express character.
AN EXPANSIVE HERITAGE
Extremely prolific during this period of his life, many drawings and watercolours executed at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière attest for Sanyu's creation of a unique aesthetic language. Exuding with confidence and simplicity, Lady Sketching beautifully exemplifies an artist's determination to achieve modernity and minimalism through the line, directly drawn from his own cultural heritage. At the heart of the first truly international artistic community, Sanyu's body of works on paper elegantly displays a perfect balance between a deep Chinese aesthetic sensitivity and a European visual language.