PU RU (1896-1963) The White Lotus Society
Scroll, mounted and framed, ink and colour on paper
100.5 x 54.5 cm. (39 5/8 x 21 1/2 in.)
Inscribed and signed, with three seals of the artist
PU RU (1896-1963) The White Lotus Society
Scroll, mounted and framed, ink and colour on paper
100.5 x 54.5 cm. (39 5/8 x 21 1/2 in.)
Inscribed and signed, with three seals of the artist
Acquired directly from the artist, and thence by descent.
Delights from the Wintry Jade Studio
Pu Ru (1896-1963) co-founded the Songfeng Painting Group with Pu Jin and others in the 1920s. In the spring of 1930, he gained immediate fame after his solo exhibition at Zhongshan Park in Beijing. With his southern counterparts Zhang Daqian and Wu Hufan, Pu Ru was considered a reinvigorating force in the Northern School of painting. In 1949, Pu Ru and his family moved to Taipei, where he spent the rest of his life. For over a decade in Taiwan, Pu Ru taught at the National Taiwan Normal University and from his residence on Linyi Street, he attracted followers from all over. His studio, Wintry Jade Studio (Hanyu Tang), became a platform for learning traditional literature, history, philosophy, and art. During these years, Pu Ru led a comfortable life and travelled all over Taiwan, sketching numerous sceneries, composing poems, and creating many paintings. Together with fellow painters Zhang Daqian and Huang Junbi, the trio is revered as the “Three Masters who Crossed the Sea,” symbolizing their long-lasting influence on the art history of Taiwan.
This year, the year of guimao, marks the sixtieth anniversary of Pu Ru’s death, and we celebrate the fame and influence of his art and teaching. Christie’s is honoured to present a private collection of thirteen exquisite pieces created by Pu Ru during his time in Taiwan, coming from an old friend of the artist. Several works were unmounted and kept pristine, still wrapped in Xuan paper for decades. From landscapes and figures to Pu Ru’s rare standard running script calligraphy, Calligraphic Couplet on Twelve Months, these thirteen works are a feast for connoisseurs’ eyes and an excellent gateway for us to explore the artist’s life and versatile artistic styles.
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