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Lot Essay
Xu Beihong shared a deep and enduring connection with Guilin, a city he visited at least ten times throughout his life. Over the years, he produced numerous works capturing Guilin’s landscapes and themes tied to the War of Resistance.
In the latter half of 1936, as Japan’s invasion of China loomed, the Guangxi Provincial Government relocated to Guilin. By November, Xu Beihong joined them as a government advisor. Driven by his ambition to promote art and art education in Guangxi, Xu independently established the Guilin Academy of Fine Arts and invited his student Zhang Anzhi to come from Nanjing to assist him. According to Zhang Anzhi: “Mr. Xu and I were temporarily staying at the Provincial Library across from the park. His room was a large, nearly square hall, with a small section partitioned off to serve as a bedroom. The outer area functioned as a study, a painting studio, a reception room, and even a guesthouse—where some of our old friends often stayed.”
The present work reflects Xu Beihong’s sense of tranquility and his admiration for the beauty of simplicity in his new surroundings. As expressed in his inscription: “After the June 1st Movement in Guangxi in 1936, I moved to Guilin and resided in the Provincial Library. The courtyard was lush with flowers and trees, their green shades covering the sky. Outside my studio, short hibiscus plants were planted as hedges. When the scorching sun shone down, they emitted a remarkable brilliance. Those who picked and ate them claimed it had the benefit of improving eyesight.”
During his stay in Guilin, Xu Beihong enjoyed a relatively high social status and a comfortable lifestyle. He had an assistant, dined with high-ranking officials, and occasionally attended Guilin opera performances. He remained in Guilin until the spring of 1937, when he returned to Nanjing.
The painting was acquired by Colonel Arthur Frederick Fischer (1888–1962) in China in the late 1930s, during his residence in Asia. It had been displayed in his home since his return to San Diego, California, during World War II.
In the latter half of 1936, as Japan’s invasion of China loomed, the Guangxi Provincial Government relocated to Guilin. By November, Xu Beihong joined them as a government advisor. Driven by his ambition to promote art and art education in Guangxi, Xu independently established the Guilin Academy of Fine Arts and invited his student Zhang Anzhi to come from Nanjing to assist him. According to Zhang Anzhi: “Mr. Xu and I were temporarily staying at the Provincial Library across from the park. His room was a large, nearly square hall, with a small section partitioned off to serve as a bedroom. The outer area functioned as a study, a painting studio, a reception room, and even a guesthouse—where some of our old friends often stayed.”
The present work reflects Xu Beihong’s sense of tranquility and his admiration for the beauty of simplicity in his new surroundings. As expressed in his inscription: “After the June 1st Movement in Guangxi in 1936, I moved to Guilin and resided in the Provincial Library. The courtyard was lush with flowers and trees, their green shades covering the sky. Outside my studio, short hibiscus plants were planted as hedges. When the scorching sun shone down, they emitted a remarkable brilliance. Those who picked and ate them claimed it had the benefit of improving eyesight.”
During his stay in Guilin, Xu Beihong enjoyed a relatively high social status and a comfortable lifestyle. He had an assistant, dined with high-ranking officials, and occasionally attended Guilin opera performances. He remained in Guilin until the spring of 1937, when he returned to Nanjing.
The painting was acquired by Colonel Arthur Frederick Fischer (1888–1962) in China in the late 1930s, during his residence in Asia. It had been displayed in his home since his return to San Diego, California, during World War II.