{"id":27899,"date":"2025-04-17T14:08:47","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T12:08:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vichy-encheres.com\/?p=27899"},"modified":"2025-04-25T10:08:14","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T08:08:14","slug":"irisation-saturation-chu-teh-chun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vichy-encheres.com\/en\/2025\/04\/17\/irisation-saturation-chu-teh-chun\/","title":{"rendered":"Irisation, Saturation 1 de Chu Teh-Chun"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Regards crois\u00e9s sur l\u2019\u0153uvre de Chu Teh-Chun et Simon de Cardaillac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tous deux profond\u00e9ment marqu\u00e9s par Nicolas de Sta\u00ebl – l\u2019un dans l\u2019intimit\u00e9 de son cercle, l\u2019autre boulevers\u00e9 par sa r\u00e9trospective de 1956 – Simon de Cardaillac et Chu Teh-Chun fr\u00e9quentent \u00e0 Paris les m\u00eames milieux. Il est fort probable qu\u2019ils se soient crois\u00e9s, voire connus, dans les salons et ateliers o\u00f9 se m\u00ealaient artistes d\u2019Europe et d\u2019Asie \u2013 notamment au sein du Salon Comparaisons ou de l\u2019atelier Friedlaender. Mais au-del\u00e0 des rencontres, c\u2019est dans leur rapport aux signes et au geste que se tisse une parent\u00e9 plus profonde. Si Chu Teh-Chun puise dans la calligraphie chinoise sa gestuelle fluide et dynamique, l’\u0153uvre de Simon de Cardaillac est nourrie par sa fascination pour les id\u00e9ogrammes mill\u00e9naires, qu\u2019il traite avec la m\u00eame attention au trait, au rythme et au vide.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Catalogue – bient\u00f4t disponible<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Vente du 19 juin 2025<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Simon de Cardaillac (1932-2019) – bient\u00f4t disponible<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Catalogue raisonn\u00e9 de Simon de Cardaillac<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Contact<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Experts<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
English version<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Biographie<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Une vie entre deux cultures<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Chu Teh-Chun \u00a9Fondation CHU TehChun <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Chu Teh-Chun (1920-2014) est un artiste franco-chinois dont l’\u0153uvre abstraite, impr\u00e9gn\u00e9e de lumi\u00e8re et de mouvements, r\u00e9sulte d\u2019une fusion entre la tradition picturale chinoise et l’abstraction occidentale. N\u00e9 dans la province du Jiangsu, en Chine, il grandit dans une famille lettr\u00e9e o\u00f9 la peinture et la calligraphie occupent une place essentielle. Son p\u00e8re et son grand-p\u00e8re, tous deux m\u00e9decins, sont aussi collectionneurs d’art chinois, ce qui expose tr\u00e8s t\u00f4t Chu Teh-Chun aux chefs-d’\u0153uvre de la peinture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

En 1935, \u00e0 seulement 15 ans, il int\u00e8gre l’\u00c9cole des Beaux-Arts de Hangzhou, dirig\u00e9e par Lin Fengmian, un artiste r\u00e9solument tourn\u00e9 vers la modernit\u00e9 et fervent d\u00e9fenseur du dialogue entre l\u2019art chinois et occidental. Ses professeurs Lin Fengmian et Wu Dayu <\/strong>l\u2019initient aux grands noms de l’impressionnisme et du postimpressionnisme europ\u00e9ens, tels que Renoir, Matisse, Monet, et surtout C\u00e9zanne qui marquera profond\u00e9ment le jeune peintre. Durant ses ann\u00e9es de formation, Chu se lie d\u2019amiti\u00e9 avec un autre futur grand artiste chinois,Zao Wou-Ki, qui suivra un parcours similaire au sien.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L’invasion japonaise de la Chine en 1937 bouleverse son cursus. L’\u00c9cole des Beaux-Arts est contrainte \u00e0 l’exil, traversant plusieurs provinces chinoises. Chu Teh-Chun, au c\u0153ur de ces p\u00e9riples, observe et int\u00e8gre des paysages changeants qui nourriront plus tard son langage pictural. Il obtient son dipl\u00f4me en 1941 et commence une carri\u00e8re d\u2019enseignant \u00e0 l\u2019Universit\u00e9 de Nankin, puis \u00e0 Ta\u00efwan[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Voir biographie <\/a>et Pierre Cabanne, Chu Teh-Chun<\/em>, Flammarion, 2000<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Chengxu Temple, Zhou Zhuang<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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L’exil en France et la d\u00e9couverte de l’abstraction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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En 1955, \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e2ge de 35 ans, Chu Teh-Chun quitte Ta\u00efwan pour Paris avec son \u00e9pouse Ching-Chao. Son voyage le conduit \u00e0 travers Hong Kong, Sa\u00efgon, Ceylan, et Le Caire, o\u00f9 il d\u00e9couvre l’art pharaonique. Arriv\u00e9 \u00e0 Paris, il s’installe dans un modeste h\u00f4tel de la rue Lhomond. Il se m\u00eale \u00e0 la vie artistique parisienne et visite assid\u00fbment les mus\u00e9es et galeries. Il commence par peindre des paysages urbains, encore figuratifs, empreints de po\u00e9sie et de lumi\u00e8re.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Le tournant d\u00e9cisif se produit en 1956 lorsqu’il assiste \u00e0 la r\u00e9trospective de Nicolas de Sta\u00eblau Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Art Moderne de Paris. Boulevers\u00e9 par l\u2019intensit\u00e9 et la puissance expressive de ses abstractions, il abandonne progressivement la figuration et s\u2019oriente vers une peinture o\u00f9 la lumi\u00e8re et l\u2019espace deviennent les sujets centraux. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Son style \u00e9volue alors vers une expression plus libre, m\u00ealant calligraphie chinoise et peinture \u00e0 l\u2019huile occidentale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D\u00e8s 1957, il se fait remarquer lors du Salon Comparaisons en exposant une toile non figurative. Sa premi\u00e8re exposition individuelle a lieu en 1960 \u00e0 la galerie Legendre, o\u00f9 il est remarqu\u00e9. D\u00e8s lors, il trouve sa voie dans une abstraction gestuelle marqu\u00e9e par des calligraphies fluides et des compositions dynamiques.[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Voir biographie<\/a> et Pierre Cabanne, Chu Teh-Chun<\/em>, Flammarion, 2000<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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R\u00e9trospective Nicolas de Sta\u00ebl, Mus\u00e9e National d’Art Moderne, 1956<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Irisation, Saturation 1 (1984)<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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La lumi\u00e8re comme sujet et mati\u00e8re<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Chu TEH-CHUN (1920-2014), “Irisation Saturation 1”. Huile sur toile de 1984. 103 x 84 cm
\u0152uvre mise en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 19 juin 2025
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R\u00e9alis\u00e9e en 1984, Irisation, Saturation 1<\/em>, illustre parfaitement la ma\u00eetrise des jeux de lumi\u00e8re et de couleur de Chu Teh-Chun. La toile se distingue par sa palette vibrante o\u00f9 dominent les contrastes entre les tons chauds et froids, donnant une impression de profondeur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cette toile s\u2019inscrit \u00e9galement dans une p\u00e9riode o\u00f9 Chu Teh-Chun approfondit sa recherche sur la transparence et les superpositions, cherchant \u00e0 retranscrire des ph\u00e9nom\u00e8nes lumineux avec une complexit\u00e9 croissante. La peinture est une transposition lyrique des \u00e9l\u00e9ments naturels et exprime sa fascination pour la luminosit\u00e9 et le passage du clair-obscur. Les touches de couleurs semblent flotter dans l\u2019espace, formant un vortex lumineux qui \u00e9voque la r\u00e9verb\u00e9ration de la lumi\u00e8re sur l\u2019eau ou les irisations atmosph\u00e9riques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

De mani\u00e8re g\u00e9n\u00e9rale, ses \u0153uvres retranscrivent les ph\u00e9nom\u00e8nes atmosph\u00e9riques : brumes, vents, reflets aquatiques, vapeurs montantes, en une effusion de couleurs et de mouvements. Comme en t\u00e9moigne cette peinture, Chu Teh-Chun ma\u00eetrisait la gestuelle et l\u2019impulsion, donnant \u00e0 sa peinture une puissance de jaillissement unique[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Pierre Cabanne, Chu Teh-Chun<\/em>, Flammarion, 2000<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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L\u2019influence de la calligraphie chinoise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Tang Yan’s artwork of landscape<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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L\u2019une des sp\u00e9cificit\u00e9s majeures de l\u2019\u0153uvre de Chu Teh-Chun r\u00e9side dans son approche calligraphique de la peinture. Il puise dans l\u2019art mill\u00e9naire de la calligraphie chinoise, non seulement dans sa technique, mais aussi dans sa philosophie du vide et du plein. Comme dans les traditions picturales chinoises, il ne cherche pas \u00e0 repr\u00e9senter directement la nature mais \u00e0 en exprimer l\u2019essence \u00e0 travers des rythmes et des flux.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dans cette \u0153uvre, l\u2019artiste explore une saturation chromatique qui rappelle certaines encres color\u00e9es utilis\u00e9es dans la peinture chinoise. L\u2019influence de la calligraphie est ici manifeste dans la gestuelle dynamique et fluide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Les coups de pinceau expressifs et spontan\u00e9s rappellent la technique du xieyi<\/em>, une peinture gestuelle o\u00f9 l\u2019intention prime sur la pr\u00e9cision des formes. Sa composition marqu\u00e9e par un \u00e9quilibre subtil entre masses color\u00e9es et espaces vides, \u00e9voque les paysages de la peinture chinoise de la dynastie Tang et Song[1]<\/sup><\/a>, o\u00f9 la suggestion de l\u2019espace et du mouvement est essentielle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

La ma\u00eetrise du pinceau, acquise gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 une formation rigoureuse en calligraphie, permet \u00e0 Chu Teh-chun de cr\u00e9er une harmonie fluide entre les formes, \u00e0 l’image d’une composition musicale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Pierre Cabanne, Chu Teh-Chun<\/em>, Flammarion, 2000<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Un symbolisme doux et solennel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Chu Teh-chun se distingue par son application de touches larges de peinture dilu\u00e9e, qui, en s\u00e9chant, dessinent de subtils d\u00e9grad\u00e9s, renfor\u00e7ant l\u2019impression de profondeur et de texture du tableau. Il employait \u00e9galement un pinceau extra-large allant jusqu\u2019\u00e0 25 cm de largeur[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cette approche picturale r\u00e9v\u00e8le l\u2019ancrage de l\u2019artiste dans l’esth\u00e9tique traditionnelle chinoise, qui favorise une expressivit\u00e9 mesur\u00e9e. L\u2019\u0153uvre de Chu Teh-chun conjugue ainsi une certaine spontan\u00e9it\u00e9 du geste avec une pr\u00e9cision calcul\u00e9e, illustrant parfaitement le concept chinois de “gentle and sincere” – une philosophie artistique s’inspirant de la po\u00e9sie classique, qui pr\u00e9conise une mod\u00e9ration dans l’expression \u00e9motionnelle :<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a>  Feng Liu, Modeling Characteristics of Chu Teh-chun’s Abstract Painting<\/em>, School of Fine Arts, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cEducation of poetry occupies a very important position in Chinese traditional art education. Chinese traditional aesthetics emphasizes on being “gentle and sincere, sorrow but not hurted”, and pursues a “moderate” beauty. In the “Doctrine of the Mean”, it is said as: “if there is no expression of happiness, anger, sorrowness or joyment, it is called moderation; when expressing the emotions within the moderation, it is called harmony.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feng Liu, Modeling Characteristics of Chu Teh-chun’s Abstract Painting<\/em>, School of Fine Arts, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Une composition harmonieuse et ma\u00eetris\u00e9e<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Bien que l’art abstrait tende \u00e0 s’affranchir des repr\u00e9sentations figuratives, Chu Teh-chun conserve une structure interne rigoureuse dans ses compositions. A l\u2019exemple d\u2019Irisation, Saturation 1<\/em>, chaque trait, chaque touche de couleur, semble d\u00e9lib\u00e9r\u00e9ment plac\u00e9 pour renforcer la coh\u00e9rence de l’ensemble. Contrairement \u00e0 l\u2019approche rapide et spontan\u00e9e de certains artistes abstraits occidentaux, Chu Teh-chun adopte une m\u00e9thode de travail r\u00e9fl\u00e9chie et m\u00e9thodique, comparable \u00e0 une pratique m\u00e9ditative. Son processus de cr\u00e9ation, souvent long, implique une observation attentive et une s\u00e9lection minutieuse de chaque \u00e9l\u00e9ment formel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Chu Teh-Chun s\u2019inscrit dans une lign\u00e9e de peintres chinois lettr\u00e9s qui accordent une grande importance \u00e0 la lecture et \u00e0 la culture g\u00e9n\u00e9rale, consid\u00e9rant la peinture comme une extension de leur d\u00e9veloppement intellectuel et spirituel. Ils s’efforcent de cultiver leur “qi”, un concept qui d\u00e9signe \u00e0 la fois l\u2019\u00e9nergie vitale et le temp\u00e9rament artistique. Le plus haut degr\u00e9 de ma\u00eetrise picturale est le “Yee Pin”, un \u00e9tat o\u00f9 l\u2019\u0153uvre transcende la technique pour exprimer une harmonie parfaite entre l\u2019\u00e9rudition, la sensibilit\u00e9 et l\u2019esprit du peintre.[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Feng Liu, Modeling Characteristics of Chu Teh-chun’s Abstract Painting<\/em>, School of Fine Arts, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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La reconnaissance internationale<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Cette huile sur toile a \u00e9t\u00e9 r\u00e9alis\u00e9e en 1984, alors que Chu Teh-Chun commence \u00e0 \u00eatre reconnu \u00e0 l’international. Ses expositions s\u2019encha\u00eenent \u00e0 Ta\u00efwan, Hong Kong, New York et en Europe. En 1987, il expose pour la premi\u00e8re fois en Chine depuis son d\u00e9part en 1955, marquant son retour symbolique dans son pays natal[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

En 1997, il devient le premier artiste chinois \u00e9lu \u00e0 l\u2019Acad\u00e9mie des Beaux-Arts de France, consacrant sa place dans l\u2019histoire de l\u2019art moderne[2]<\/sup><\/a>. Jusqu\u2019\u00e0 la fin de sa vie, il poursuit son exploration de la lumi\u00e8re et de la mati\u00e8re picturale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Pierre Cabanne, Chu Teh-Chun<\/em>, Flammarion, 2000<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/sup><\/a> Lian Jin, Kexin Wang, A Study of Chu Teh-Chun\u2019s Abstract Paintingsfrom the Perspective of East-West Integration<\/em>, School of Art, Zhejiang Normal University, Zhejiang Jinhua 321004, Region-Educational Research and Reviews, 2024,Volume 6, Issue4<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Aujourd\u2019hui, ses toiles sont pr\u00e9sentes dans de grandes collections publiques et priv\u00e9es, et son influence se perp\u00e9tue \u00e0 travers les dialogues entre abstraction et tradition picturale chinoise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Au fil des d\u00e9cennies, les \u0153uvres de Chu Teh-Chun ont connu une hausse significative de leur cote. En 2020, son tableau “Ode to nature” a \u00e9t\u00e9 vendu pour 113,7 millions de dollars hongkongais lors d\u2019une vente chez Sotheby\u2019s, marquant son entr\u00e9e dans le cercle restreint des “peintres milliardaires”[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Lijun Meng, Art and Society: Chu Teh\u2010Chun and the Encounter in the Art Field<\/em>, Fine Arts, Anhui University of Finance and Economics, Bengbu 233030, Anhui, China, International Journal of Education and Humanities ISSN: 2770-6702 | Vol. 3, No. 3, 2022<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Les \u0153uvres de Chu Teh Chun, autrefois principalement collectionn\u00e9es en Chine et \u00e0 Hong Kong, suscitent d\u00e9sormais un engouement international, consolidant sa place dans l\u2019histoire de l\u2019art mondial. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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IRISATION, SATURATION 1<\/em> BY CHU TEH-CHUN<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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An exploration of the work of Chu Teh-Chun and Simon de Cardaillac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simon de Cardaillac and Chu Teh-Chun were part of the same artistic milieu in Paris, and were both deeply influenced by Nicolas de Sta\u00ebl \u2013 the former being part of his circle of friends, and the latter being deeply moved by his 1956 retrospective. It is highly likely that they crossed paths, or even met, in the salons and studios where artists from Europe and Asia mingled \u2013 in particular the Salon Comparaisons and the Friedlaender studio. However, beyond these possible encounters, it is their relationship to signs and gestures that created a deep connection between the two artists. While Chu Teh-Chun drew his fluid and dynamic style from Chinese calligraphy, Simon de Cardaillac’s work was fed by his fascination with ancient characters, which he treated with the same attention to line, rhythm and empty space.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Catalog – available soon<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Sale on 19 juin 2025<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Simon de Cardaillac – available soon…<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Comprehensive annotated catalog of Simon de Cardaillac<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Contact<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Experts<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Version fran\u00e7aise<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Biography<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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A life between two cultures<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Chu Teh-Chun (1920-2014) is a Franco-Chinese artist whose abstract work, full of light and movement, results from a fusion of Chinese art tradition and Western abstraction. He was born in Jiangsu Province, China, and grew up in an educated family where painting and calligraphy occupied a central place. Both his father and grandfather, who were doctors, were also collectors of Chinese art, which, from an early age, introduced Chu Teh-Chun to the masterpieces of painting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1935, aged only 15, he enrolled at the Hangzhou School of Fine Arts, which was headed by Lin Fengmian, an artist resolutely turned towards modernity and a fervent advocate of the dialogue between Chinese and Western art. His teachers, Lin Fengmian and Wu Dayu, introduced him to the great names of European Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, such as Renoir, Matisse, Monet and especially C\u00e9zanne, who would have a profound impact on the young painter. During his formative years, Chu became friends with another future great Chinese artist, Zao Wou-Ki, who would go on to follow a similar path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Japanese invasion of China in 1937 disrupted his studies. The School of Fine Arts was forced into exile, travelling through several Chinese provinces. Throughout these journeys, Chu Teh-Chun observed and absorbed the changing landscapes that would later inform his artistic language. He graduated in 1941 and began a teaching career at Nanjing University, then located in Taiwan[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Voir biographie <\/a>et Pierre Cabanne, Chu Teh-Chun<\/em>, Flammarion, 2000<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Chengxu Temple, Zhou Zhuang<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Exile in France and the discovery of abstraction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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In 1955, at the age of 35, Chu Teh-Chun left Taiwan for Paris with his wife Ching-Chao. His journey took him through Hong Kong, Saigon, Ceylon and Cairo, where he discovered the art of ancient Egypt. When he arrived in Paris, he settled into a cheap hotel on Rue Lhomond. He immersed himself in the artistic life of the capital and assiduously visited museums and galleries. He began by painting urban landscapes, in figurative style at this stage, which were filled with poetry and light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The decisive turning point came in 1956 when he attended the Nicolas de Sta\u00ebl retrospective at the Mus\u00e9e d’Art Moderne in Paris. He was so profoundly moved by the intensity and expressive power of his abstract art that he gradually abandoned figurative painting and instead moved towards a style of painting in which light and space became the central themes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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His style gained freedom, and combined Chinese calligraphy and Western oil painting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1957, he attracted attention at the Salon Comparaisons by exhibiting a non-figurative picture. His first solo exhibition took place in 1960 at the Legendre Gallery, where he was widely acclaimed. From then on, he found his voice in abstract art marked by fluid calligraphy and dynamic compositions.[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Voir biographie<\/a> et Pierre Cabanne, Chu Teh-Chun<\/em>, Flammarion, 2000<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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R\u00e9trospective Nicolas de Sta\u00ebl, Mus\u00e9e National d’Art Moderne, 1956<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Irisation, Saturation 1 (1984)<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Light as subject matter and material<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Chu
Chu TEH-CHUN (1920-2014), “Irisation Saturation 1”. Huile sur toile de 1984. 103 x 84 cm
\u0152uvre mise en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 19 juin 2025
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Irisation, Saturation 1<\/em>, which was created in 1984, perfectly illustrates Chu Teh-Chun’s masterful use of light and colour. This painting stands out for its vibrant use of colour, in particular the contrast between warm and cool tones, which give the impression of depth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This painting was created at a time when Chu Teh-Chun was deepening his research into transparency and superpositions, when he sought to reproduce light-related phenomena with increasing complexity. This painting is a lyrical expression of natural elements and shows his fascination with luminosity and the transition between light and dark. The touches of colour seem to float in space, forming a luminous vortex that is reminiscent of the reverberation of light on water and of iridescence in the atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More generally, his works represent optical phenomena in the atmosphere, such as mists, winds, aquatic reflections and rising vapours, through an outpouring of colour and movement. As this painting demonstrates, Chu Teh-Chun was a master of movement and impulse, giving his painting a unique burst of power.[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Pierre Cabanne, Chu Teh-Chun<\/em>, Flammarion, 2000<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The influence of chinese calligraphy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Tang Yan’s artwork of landscape<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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One of the major distinctive features of Chu Teh-Chun’s work lies in his calligraphic approach to painting. He drew on the ancient art of Chinese calligraphy, not only its technique, but also its philosophy of emptiness and fullness. As in Chinese art tradition, he did not seek to directly represent nature but instead to express its essence through rhythms and flows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this work, the artist explored a chromatic saturation reminiscent of certain coloured inks used in Chinese painting. The influence of calligraphy is evident here in the dynamic and fluid gestures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The expressive and free-flowing brushstrokes recall the technique of xieyi<\/em>, a gestural painting technique where intention takes precedence over accuracy of form. His composition, which is marked by a subtle balance between coloured forms and empty spaces, evokes the landscapes of Chinese paintings from the Tang and Song dynasties[1]<\/sup><\/a>, where the suggestion of space and movement is essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His command of brushstrokes, acquired through his rigorous training in calligraphy, enabled Chu Teh-Chun to create fluid harmony between forms, like in a musical composition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Pierre Cabanne, Chu Teh-Chun<\/em>, Flammarion, 2000<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A soft and solemn symbolism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Chu Teh-Chun\u2019s work is distinguished by his application of broad brushstrokes of diluted paint, which, when drying, create subtle gradations, reinforcing the impression of depth and texture in the painting. He also used extra-large brushes, up to 25cm wide.[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This artistic approach reveals the artist’s roots in traditional Chinese art, which favours restrained expressiveness. Chu Teh-Chun’s work thus combines a certain freedom of gesture with calculated precision, perfectly illustrating the Chinese concept of “gentle and sincere” \u2013 an artistic philosophy inspired by classical poetry, which advocates moderation in emotional expression:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a>  Feng Liu, Modeling Characteristics of Chu Teh-chun’s Abstract Painting<\/em>, School of Fine Arts, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cEducation of poetry occupies a very important position in Chinese traditional art education. Chinese traditional aesthetics emphasizes on being “gentle and sincere, sorrow but not hurted”, and pursues a “moderate” beauty. In the “Doctrine of the Mean”, it is said as: “if there is no expression of happiness, anger, sorrowness or joyment, it is called moderation; when expressing the emotions within the moderation, it is called harmony.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feng Liu, Modeling Characteristics of Chu Teh-chun’s Abstract Painting<\/em>, School of Fine Arts, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A harmonious and controlled composition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Although abstract art tends to free itself from figurative representations, Chu Teh-Chun maintained a disciplined approach to the structure of his compositions. As in Irisation, Saturation 1<\/em>, each stroke, each touch of colour, seems deliberately placed to reinforce the coherence of the whole. Unlike the fast and free approach of some Western abstract artists, Chu Teh-chun adopted a thoughtful and methodical working method, akin to meditation. His \u2013 often lengthy \u2013 creative process involved carefully assessing and selecting each formal element.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Chu Teh-Chun belongs to a lineage of educated Chinese painters who placed great importance on reading and general culture, viewing painting as an extension of their intellectual and spiritual development. They strived to cultivate their “qi,” a concept that refers to both vital energy and artistic temperament. The highest degree of art mastery is “Yee Pin,” a state in which the work transcends technique to express a perfect harmony between the painter’s knowledge, sensitivity and spirit.[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Feng Liu, Modeling Characteristics of Chu Teh-chun’s Abstract Painting<\/em>, School of Fine Arts, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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International recognition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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This oil on canvas was painted in 1984, just as Chu Teh-Chun was beginning to gain international recognition. Exhibitions followed in Taiwan, Hong Kong, New York and Europe. In 1987, he exhibited for the first time in China since his departure in 1955, marking his symbolic return to his native country[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1997, he became the first Chinese artist admitted to the Acad\u00e9mie des Beaux-Arts in France, which cemented his place in the history of modern art[2]<\/sup><\/a>. He continued his exploration of light and art until the end of his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Pierre Cabanne, Chu Teh-Chun<\/em>, Flammarion, 2000<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/sup><\/a> Lian Jin, Kexin Wang, A Study of Chu Teh-Chun\u2019s Abstract Paintingsfrom the Perspective of East-West Integration<\/em>, School of Art, Zhejiang Normal University, Zhejiang Jinhua 321004, Region-Educational Research and Reviews, 2024,Volume 6, Issue4<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Nowadays, his paintings feature in major public and private collections, and his influence lives on through the dialogue between abstraction and Chinese art tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the decades, the value of Chu Teh-Chun’s works has significant risen. In 2020, his painting Ode to Nature sold for HK$113.7 million at Sotheby’s, marking his entry into the select group of “billionaire painters”[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Lijun Meng, Art and Society: Chu Teh\u2010Chun and the Encounter in the Art Field<\/em>, Fine Arts, Anhui University of Finance and Economics, Bengbu 233030, Anhui, China, International Journal of Education and Humanities ISSN: 2770-6702 | Vol. 3, No. 3, 2022<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Chu Teh Chun’s works, once collected primarily in China and Hong Kong, now attract international attention, cementing his place in the global history of art.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\ude80 Suivez-nous !<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n