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Lot Essay
A synthesis of the attitudes of European art, with the style and composition of traditional Chinese ink paintings, Lee Man Fong manages to capture his tropical environment in a manner that is harmonious and halcyon, but simultaneously dynamic and full of depth. Being an ethnic-Chinese artist who received Western training in painting, Lee's technique is always Western in the understanding of light and shadow, the maneuvering of his brush and oil and the application of perspective, but his sensibilities remain distinctly rooted in the Oriental.
The composition, Merpati Perdamaian (Peace Conference) (Lot 3358) presents a realistic rendition of doves which strikes an interesting contrast with the impressionistic rendering of the foliage. The scene is evocative of Chinese landscape works thus achieving harmony and balance between Lee Man Fong's practical training and his aesthetic lineage. As a universally recognized symbol of peace and love, the dove is the precise antithetical symbol to war, violence and sorrow. Known as a lover of animals, Lee kept flocks of doves, roosters and cockatoos, as well as dogs and a large pond of goldfish in his own garden, often painting them from life. This enabled him to capture their natural traits, distinct colorings and even from time to time, individual expressions. The doves are a romantic ideal and one can see Lee's mastery in technique in the perfectly composed tableaux that conveys a sense of pastoral tranquility.
Despite their simple narratives, Lee's paintings are colourfully alive, vividly realistic and capable of evoking intense emotions. His diverse range of subjects attest to his versatility and achievement in his field, and having succeeded in developing a style utilizing oil painting for the expression of subject matter typical to the region, has pioneered accomplishments far beyond his peers of his period.
The composition, Merpati Perdamaian (Peace Conference) (Lot 3358) presents a realistic rendition of doves which strikes an interesting contrast with the impressionistic rendering of the foliage. The scene is evocative of Chinese landscape works thus achieving harmony and balance between Lee Man Fong's practical training and his aesthetic lineage. As a universally recognized symbol of peace and love, the dove is the precise antithetical symbol to war, violence and sorrow. Known as a lover of animals, Lee kept flocks of doves, roosters and cockatoos, as well as dogs and a large pond of goldfish in his own garden, often painting them from life. This enabled him to capture their natural traits, distinct colorings and even from time to time, individual expressions. The doves are a romantic ideal and one can see Lee's mastery in technique in the perfectly composed tableaux that conveys a sense of pastoral tranquility.
Despite their simple narratives, Lee's paintings are colourfully alive, vividly realistic and capable of evoking intense emotions. His diverse range of subjects attest to his versatility and achievement in his field, and having succeeded in developing a style utilizing oil painting for the expression of subject matter typical to the region, has pioneered accomplishments far beyond his peers of his period.