PAYSAGE DE GUILIN Monté, encre et coul sur papier. Signé par l'artiste avec un cachet, daté de 1979. Dimensions: 69 x 96 cm. (27 ? x 37 ? in. )
Acquired from Mr Chen Shuliang's (1901-1991) family member in the 2000s, by repute.
Li Keran’s landscapes are never mere paintings from nature rooted in realism. He said, “In order to paint a good landscape, one must first grasp the soul of landscape painting—the artistic concept.” In other words, during the process of painting a scene from nature, he grasped the communion between the spirit of mountains and streams and the spirit of the artist. The artistic concept was manifested through the transformation of these spirits through his brush. This conforms to the traditional ideal of “For the exterior one learns from forms; for the interior the heart.”
Guilin—a favourite source of Li Keran’s inspirations—is a sacred site for Chinese landscape painting known for its unusual and stunning scenery. He loved Guilin’s natural beauty all his life: The Panorama of Li River hung in his studio for a long time for his enjoyment. Beginning in the spring of 1959 when he went to Guilin with the painter Yan Di, he journeyed there on several occasions. He went on a painting excursion in 1962 and filmed an art education video there in 1980. In Guilin Landscape, Li Keran used layers of contrasting ink—ranging from dark to light and vice versa—to visually build the volume of the rocky cliffs along the river. Strategically he also placed whites and blues to colour the houses and river, brightening the scene. While Li Keran applied saturated layers of dark ink, the overall image is nevertheless lively and highly defined.