Footnotes

Provenance
'Vente de l'atelier T'ang Haywen', Me Yves-Marie Leroux, Drouot, Paris, 3 December 1992. (sale slip)
Acquired from the above by the present owner
French private collection

L'authenticité de cette œuvre a été confirmée par M. Philippe Koutouzis.
Bonhams se tient à la disposition de l'acheteur pour inscription au catalogue raisonné après de « T'ang Haywen Archives », aux frais de l'acheteur.

The authenticity of this work has been confirmed by Mr Philippe Koutouzis.
Bonhams may assist the buyer for registering the work in the catalogue raisonné by the 'T'ang Haywen Archives' at the buyer's expense.


Born in 1927 in Xiamen, China, T'ang Haywen, led a life marked by both artistic brilliance and personal tragedy. His formative years were shaped by his grandfather's teachings of Taoism, deeply influencing his artistic vision. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, his family fled to Vietnam. In 1948, T'ang moved to Paris to study medicine but soon abandoned it to pursue his passion for painting.

Despite his talent, T'ang struggled for recognition during his lifetime. He lived a bohemian lifestyle, often in financial hardship, and his health significantly deteriorated during his later years. In 1991, he passed away in Paris from respiratory complications. After his death, the French state could not locate an heir to his estate, leading to the absorption of his assets, including his extensive collection of artworks.

To manage and distribute these works, the French administration commissioned a series of auctions at Drouot between 1992 and 1993. Yves-Marie Leroux, a judicial auctioneer, organised these sales. The initial auction in 1992 was particularly significant, marking the first major public offering of T'ang's art since his death. Featuring a wide range of his pieces, from his signature ink paintings to his diptychs, this auction was instrumental in elevating his posthumous reputation.

The success of these auctions at Drouot was crucial in reviving interest in T'ang Haywen's art, ensuring that his innovative and spiritually resonant works were appreciated by future generations.

T'ang Haywen's artistic style is a unique fusion of Eastern and Western influences. He is renowned for blending the spiritual aesthetics of Chinese ink brush painting with the dynamic energy of Western abstract expressionism. His works often feature quick, expressive brushstrokes that capture the essence of natural scenes, embodying his belief that 'painting is the embodiment of energy'. His preferred medium was ink on paper, and he frequently worked in diptychs, creating harmonious compositions that synthesises his Taoist philosophy.

T'ang's legacy continues to flourish, with his works now held in major collections and exhibited worldwide, celebrating the profound beauty and spiritual depth of his art. The Guimet Museum in Paris hosted an exhibition featuring T'ang Haywen's works, T'ang Haywen: A Chinese painter in Paris (1927-1991), 6 March – 17 June 2024, further cementing his place in the annals of modern art.