Teh-Chun Chu (b. 1920)
Lot 3303

Teh-Chun Chu (b. 1920)

Composition No. 273

Closed26 May 2013

Price Realised

HKD 2,430,000

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Teh-Chun Chu (b. 1920)
Composition No. 273
signed in Chinese; signed 'CHU TEH-CHUN' in Pinyin; dated '68' (lower right); signed 'CHU TEH-CHUN' in Pinyin; signed in Chinese; dated '1968'; titled 'No. 273' (on the reverse)
oil on canvas
65 x 62 cm. (25 1/2 x 24 3/8 in.)
Painted in 1968
oil canvas
65 x 62 cm. (25 1/2 x 24 3/8 in.)
1960s

Gallery Max G. Bollag, Zurich, Switzerland
Acquired by the present owner in the 1990s

Specialist note

In Composition No. 273 (Lot 3303), executed in 1968, Chu uses bold, expressive and lyrical brushstrokes to set up a mysterious, transitional space. He dramatically captures the moment before the arrival of dawn, when light is about to enter to disturb the silence of the dark night.

Using a predominantly dark brown palette in the background, Chu fills the scene with drama by creating tensions between the dark and light tones in the surrounding area. This effect is coupled by the use of rich red and blue colours, which serves to draw attention to the infinite sense of depth of the light source emanating from the centre.