
Katniss Xu
Senior Sale Coordinator
Sold for US$896 inc. premium
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Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve.
方君璧(1898-1986) 雙姝 設色紙本 軟片 一九四〇至四五年作
款識:君璧
鈐印:方君璧印
Provenance:
Gift of the Artist to Ho Mang Hang (1916-2016) and Wang Wenxing (1914-2015)
By descent to the present owner
來源:
方君璧贈何孟恆(1916-2016)及汪文惺(1914-2015)伉儷
何氏後人遞藏
Born into a prominent family in Minhou, Fujian Province, Fan Tchunpi stands as one of the few Chinese female artists who garnered international recognition for their artistic achievements. Her journey began at the age of 14 when she was sent to France for education. In 1920, Fan Tchunpi became the first Chinese female student ever accepted into the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts de Paris. In 1984, her retrospective exhibition Fan Tchunpi, Contemporary Chinese Artist: 60 Paintings or 60 Years in Painting was held at the Musée Cernuschi in Paris.
During her stay in France, Fan Tchunpi formed a lasting bond with Wang Jingwei (1883-1944) and his wife Chen Bijun (1891-1959). Not long after the birth of the couple's second child, Wang Wenxing, they were instructed by Sun Yat-sen to return to China and had to leave the infant behind in the care of their trusted friends, including Fan Tchunpi. Fan Tchunpi and Wang Wenxing remained close friends for the rest of their lives. However, tragically, Fan Tchunpi's husband, Tsen Tsongming (1896-1939), who had served as Wang Jingwei's private secretary, was killed in Wang Wenxing's wedding to Ho Mang Hang in Hanoi in 1939.
Subsequently, the artist returned to China, and the present lot was executed during 1940-1945, when Fan Tchunpi traveled through major cities in China, including Nanjing, Beidaihe and Beijing. Fan Tchunpi once studied painting with Gao Jianfu (1879-1951) and Gao Qifeng (1889-1933). The present lot reflects her attempt to infuse modern subjects and composition into the ancient medium.