China. – Pu Quan Lot n° 88

China. -Pu Quan (1913-1991). Trees and leaves. Drawing. Colored ink on paper. Sigel (cachet) Song Chuang in red at lower right. 41,5:48,5 cm. Provenance: Fritz van Briessen - Reprod. in: F. van Briessen, Chinesische Maltechnik, Cologne 1963, Fig. 74, published in cooperation with Pu Quan, member of the imperial family, descendant of Emperor Daoguang (Tao Kuang) and cousin of the last Chinese Emperor Pu Yi.- Commentary on the present sheet by F. van Briessen, p. 107: "Colour is used less for the realistic imitation of nature than for the creation of variety and colouristic balance. This is clearly shown in the treatment of the foliage (in the present drawing). Blue and red, yellow and green leaves do not simply represent the autumn colours of maple or tropical vegetation; they serve a harmony of colours in the foliage of groups of trees. The outlines of leaf and trunk are formed in exactly the same way as in the pure ink painting, although the double stroke manner is preferred. The importance of the ink base is emphasized by the care with which the opaque colors are entered without the ink lines disappearing."