Jade of Falling Cities ---- about Sanyu

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Translated by Ann Lee from the Taiwan blog “Elsewhere of Elsewhere”

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/ailleurs-art/article?mid=35&prev=42&next=19&l=f&fid=5

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Once upon in ancient China, it is said that a king was willing to trade 15 cities of his kingdom for one piece of precious jade, “Jade of Falling Cities (Jade of Clan HE).” If we calculate the value of the jade into today’s currency, for 15 cities in China, the price must be much more than billion dollars. The term “Jade of Falling Cities” thus means the artifact is indeed the most valuable treasure. The Chinese artist, Sanyu (Yu San) (1901-1966), is definitely the “Jade of Falling Cities” in the world of modern and contemporary art.  

Pink Lotus (as follows), Sotheby’s Hong Kong sold for US$ 3.6 million in April 2006. Later in November of the same year, another work of Sanyu, Potted Flowers in a Blue and White Jardiniere, sold for US$ 3.7 million at Christie’s Hong Kong. Although during Sanyu’s lifetime, the world showed little interest in his paintings, and the artist had a difficult course of life especially during his later years, he finally received his real recognition from collectors 40 years after his death.   

Pink Lotus, Sanyu

The finest aspects of his aesthetics are almost impossible to put into words, and even if we try, they are then never the real finest aspects of the artist. The philosophy is very much like “Zen.” Each of us has to come to realize the beauty of Sanyu by our own senses. No one else but our own hearts could help us understand the works. It is said that we can point our fingers to the moon, but the “finger” is not the moon itself. Even though I try to describe the finest aspects of Sanyu’s artworks in this article, my words are your “fingers” for references only. Please do enjoy Sanyu by looking and reading his artworks on your own.

Sanyu is the master of using western medium (oil painting) to express the taste of a cultural traditional Chinese literati. His aesthetics have reached the level of divinity by perfectly uniting medium and expression, as well as his confident and smooth lines, free and liberal techniques, which bring his works to the level of unique and effortless beauty. Except the medium (oil painting) which is a western material, all other aspects in Sanyu’s painting, the techniques, spirit, and even the subject are absolutely East. His art is full of aesthetics purity unique to East culture, which resembling the novel, Snow Country, by the Japanese novelist Yasunari Kawabata, or even to a degree that no words can express the profound meanings of Sanyu’s artwork. His art embraces the East and the West, and it is a sole existence in the art history which stands tall in front of any international masters of art.

Nude (as follows) is a perfect example of Sanyu’s skill in mastering the complicated object by performing a simple and smooth touch.

Nude, Sanyu

The piece contains only few strokes, but is far more profound than those complicated works of others. The erotic side of Sanyu involves the humor of eastern culture. If Henri Matisse is so called the musical character of a nude, then Sanyu is definitely the riotous character of a nude. For example, Sanyu’s Four Nudes:

Four Nudes, Sanyu

By repeatedly reducing the lines to the simplicity, Sanyu’s gave his art a spiritual, natural existence. These astonishing lines are comprehensive as well as expressive, as if they are as heavy as a mountain, but also as light as a feather. His art is never artificial, and is able to directly present to the viewers the fundamental quality of his theme. The artist possessed a personal, sincere and original capability of interpretation.Ｂy these reasons they are the common characters of all great artists.

Majority of Sanyu’s theme in his painting are female nudes, floral still lifes and animal subjects. Often, some portions of his female nudes and animal subjects are properly deformed for embodying the beauty of lines and rhythm, for example, Girl in Blue Dress with White Dots by Sanyu around 1930s as follows:

Girl in Blue Dress with White Dots, Sanyu

Colors of this painting on a computer screen are slightly off from the original. It is better we viewers try to find the original painting or albums with more precise colors in print. (Of course, it is rather difficult to see the original paintings nowadays. There are many fake paintings in the market.) Finally, here is the last painting of Sanyu, Elephant, in 1966, as follows:

Elephant, Sanyu, 1966

In the year 1966, which is the last year of Sanyu’s life, the artist told his friend that he had started a painting, “I drew the painting, simplified it, and then simplified if again...” “That is a tiny elephant, running in the desert with no boundary..., that is me.” The artist couldn’t find a place to survive in the massive universe, as though he is this little elephant who ran in isolation. Tears were almost bursted out at my first time reading these words: “Exactly, the great artist is indeed this little elephant running in the endless desert. Sorry for such a hard time...”

In that same year, the penniless, handicapped with an injured ankle, Sanyu died in gas leak in his studio, at the age of 65.