ZAO WOU-KI Green City - May 1952 Oil on canvas Signed lower right in Chinese and pinyin "Zao", countersigned twice, dated and titled on the back "Zao Wou-Ki, Zao Wou-Ki, Ville Verte, Mai 1952". 130 x 150 cm Provenance: Galerie Pierre, Paris Philippe Dennery Collection To the current owner by inheritance Bibliography: F. Marquet-Zao & Y. Hendgen, "Catalogue Raisonné des Peintures de Zao Wou-Ki, Volume I, 1935-1958", Editions Flammarion, Paris, 2019, reproduced in colour under n°P-0277, pp. 144 & 296 Oil on canvas, signed lower right in Chinese and in Pinyin, signed again twice, dated and titled on the reverse; 51.18 x 59.05 in. 赵无极（1920-2013） 《绿色城市》- 1952年5月 油彩 画布 款识：无极ZAO（右下）；ZAO WOU-KI 150x130 ZAO WOU-KI GREEN CITY 150x130 MAY 1952（画背） 130 x 150 厘米（51 ¼ x 59 in. ） 来源： 巴黎皮埃尔-勒布画廊 Philippe Dennery 私人珍藏 现由家族后人承袭所珍 出版： 2019年《赵无极绘画作品图录全集-第一卷1935-1958》由F. Marquet-Zao与Y. Hendgen编纂，法国巴黎Flammarion出版（图版 第P-0277图，第144及296页） 本作品已收录于赵无极基金会文献库，编号P-52-12 估价：2,500,000-3,500,000欧元 Ville verte, an important painting by the painter Zao Wou-Ki, important for its pictorial quality, important for its characteristic style - between figuration and abstraction - for its format, 1.30 m x 1.50 m, and for its date: 1952. Zao Wou-Ki was the Chinese painter who became most famous in the West in the second half of the twentieth century: famous in Paris, where he arrived from Shanghai in 1948; then, as his career progressed, with his exhibitions, his contacts and his successes, famous throughout the world and, at the end of his life, even in his native country, Communist China. Born into a wealthy family, Zao Wou-Ki arrived in Paris with a strong artistic culture based on an in-depth knowledge of classical Chinese art and Western painting discovered through books and reproductions. He spent some time at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Othon Friesz's studio. His art was figurative, painting landscapes, still lifes and interior nudes in the tradition of modern Western painting. He exhibited at the Galerie Creuze from 1949, and at Pierre Loeb from 1951. During a trip to Switzerland, Zao Wou-Ki discovered the art of Paul Klee, which was to have a profound effect on him, as it did on many artists of his generation, and which was to change the direction of his art: the painting Ville verte (Green City) bears witness to this. This large-format work, painted in oil, can be seen in two stages: a vast surface of green with shades of yellow ochre, shifting from dark to light, the top, centre and bottom filled with graffiti, strokes and lines of all kinds, forming a spider-like network reminiscent of the calligraphy of his homeland. The impression is one of mystery and uncertainty. On closer inspection, things become clearer. In this network of lines, boats, masts, cranes, buildings, a church and its steeple, a few buildings surmounted by another boat seen in profile - a whole world gradually reveals itself in a precise and hesitant way, bringing this vast expanse to life. It's a real piece of writing that unfolds in counterpoint to the modulation of the surfaces. The lessons Zao Wou-Ki learnt from Paul Klee are clear to see if we compare this painting, which is essential to his artistic development, with Chambre avec habitants, vue perspective (1921, Bern, Zentrum Paul Klee) by the Bauhaus master. For several years until 1954, Zao Wou-Ki continued in this vein, as can be seen in his painting Cathédrale et ses environs (1952-1953, Paris, Centre Pompidou). He left this style to turn definitively towards abstraction, of which he would become one of the leaders. His compositions, full of lyricism and subtly allusive, were entitled 04. 05. 64 (1964, Paris, Centre Pompidou), after the day on which they were created. Zao Wou-Ki, as Claude Roy notes, is "a great painter who continues in his work at least ten of the great centuries of Chinese art", while at the same time being "one of the best modern painters in the West". Serge Lemoine Ville verte (Green City), an important painting by Zao Wou-Ki, is significant for its pictorial quality, its highly distinctive style -between figuration and abstraction- its size (1.30 m x 1.50 m), and its date: 1952. Zao Wou-Ki was the Chinese painter who became the most famous in the West during the second half of the 20th century: famous in Paris, where he arrived from Shanghai in 1948, and increasingly well-known throughout the world as his style evolved, as he exhibited, made connections, and gained success -eventually achieving recognition even in his native country, Communist China. Coming from a wealthy family, Zao Wou-Ki arrived in Paris with a strong artistic background, based on a deep knowledge of classical Chinese art and Western painting, which he had discovered through books and reproductions. He spent time at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in the studio of Othon Friesz. His early art was figurative: he painted landscapes, still lifes, and nudes in interiors, following in the tradition of modern Western painting. He held his first exhibition in 1949 at Galerie Creuze and began exhibiting with Pierre Loeb from 1951 onwards. During a trip to Switzerland, Zao Wou-Ki discovered the work of Paul Klee, which had a profound impact on him -as it did on many artists of his generation- and marked a turning point in his artistic direction. This turning point is reflected in the painting Green City. A large oil painting, the work unfolds in two stages: a vast green surface with yellow ochre hues, shifting from dark to light, with the top, centre and bottom filled with graffiti-like marks, strokes and lines of all kinds, forming a spiderweb-like network reminiscent of the calligraphy of his homeland. The viewer is struck by a sense of mystery, a feeling of uncertainty. Upon closer inspection, details emerge. Within this web of lines, one begins to discern boats, masts, cranes, buildings, a church with its steeple and several structures topped by another boat seen in profile, a whole world slowly and hesitantly reveals itself, animating the vast surface. It is a kind of writing, unfolding as a counterpoint to the modulation of the painted surface. One can clearly see the lesson Zao Wou-Ki took from Paul Klee, particularly when comparing this painting -essential to his artistic evolution- with Room with Inhabitants, Perspective View (1921, Bern, Zentrum Paul Klee), by the Bauhaus master. For several years, until 1954, Zao Wou-Ki continued along this path, as seen in his painting Cathedral and its surroundings (1952-1953, Paris, Centre Pompidou). He would later move away from this style and fully embrace abstraction, becoming one of its leading figures. His lyrical compositions, subtly suggestive, would then be titled after the date of their creation, such as 04.05.64 (1964, Paris, Centre Pompidou). As Claude Roy observed, Zao Wou-Ki was "a great painter who carries within his work at least ten great centuries of Chinese art" while also being "one of the finest modern painters of the West". Serge Lemoine 《绿色城市》是赵无极艺术生涯中的一幅重要作品，其价值不仅体现在完美的品相保存，更在它标志性的过渡风格--在具象与抽象之间开辟出独特的视觉语言。这幅创作早期（1952年）的大尺幅油画（130 × 150 cm）展现了艺术家当时的探索轨迹。 赵无极是二十世纪下半叶在西方最负盛名的华人艺术家。他1948年离开上海，先在巴黎崭露头角。随后又凭借其不断演进的艺术风格、丰富的展览和人际互动，逐渐享誉全球。直至晚年，他的声望终于跨越阻隔，荣归故土，在中国亦获推崇。 赵无极出生于书香世家，赴法时已深谙中国传统艺术精髓，同时通过文献研习西方绘画。他曾在大茅舍学院（la Grande Chaumière）的奥东-弗里茨（Othon Friesz）工作室进修，早期创作延续西方现代主义脉络，以风景、静物和室内人体为主。1949年首次展览于克勒兹画廊（galerie Creuze），1951年起与皮埃尔-洛布（Pierre Loeb）画廊合作。瑞士之行成为其艺术转折的重要契机，追随保罗-克利（Paul Klee）的作品，一跃而入抽象的世界--这种影响在《绿色城市》中得到充分体现。 这件大尺幅油画作品的观赏，需分为两个层次：首先映入眼帘的是一片浩瀚的绿色调域，从暗沉的墨绿渐变为透亮的青绿，其间穿插赭石色的微妙变化；画面各区域布满涂鸦式的线条--笔触或如刀劈斧削的凌厉短划，或似游丝般的绵长线条，交织成一张蛛网般的视觉网格，不禁让人联想到东方书法的韵律。画面神秘，令人仿佛置身迷雾，朦胧而悸动。 当视线再次停留时，画面开始低语。纵横交错的线条网格间，逐渐浮现出斑驳的意象--船舶、塔吊、错落的建筑群、尖顶的大教堂；更远处，几栋屋宇之上竟悬浮着一艘侧影的孤舟。这些元素如同记忆的幽灵，在色彩的潮汐中时隐时现。它们既精确又含蓄，为广袤的色域注入生机。分明是一场酣畅淋漓的视觉书写，以线条为音符，与色块的变奏，展开复调对话。 赵无极的这种表现手法，与包豪斯大师保罗-克利1921年的作品《透视视角下的居民房间》（现藏于瑞士伯尔尼的保罗-克利中心）形成跨时空对话。 直至1954年前，赵无极持续沿袭这一创作路径，如巴黎蓬皮杜中心馆藏的《大教堂及其周边》（1952-1953）所示。此后，他彻底转向抽象主义，并成为该领域的先驱。那些充满诗性的、以微妙隐喻构建的作品，均以创作日期命名，例如蓬皮杜中心的馆藏《1964年5月4日》。 正如艺术评论家克洛德-罗伊（Claude Roy）所言：赵无极是一位承续中国千年艺术脉络的集大成者，亦是西方现代绘画最杰出的代表之一。 Serge Lemoine This work is registered in the artist's archives under no. P-52-12. ZAO WOU-KI