Abstract:“THE BIG CHICKEN AND LUCK” was produced in 2013 by renowned Chinese contemporary flower and bird painter Fapeng Zhu. The painting of 24.1 square chi, 185*145cm, has realized 2.5 millions at the 27th Fuzhou Auction organized by Yuntong Company on 1st Jan.,2015. It was sold to a collector for a good price owing to the auspicious implication of the art work, as the pronunciation of chicken is a appealing pun of luck in Chinese culture. What’s more, the painting is also highly appreciated as it implies the spirit of the time and the appealing feel from the famed painter Fapeng Zhu.
BIG CHICKEN AND LUCK BY FAPENG ZHU KNOCKS OUT 2.5 MILLIONS RMB
FROM ZX ART NET (BY YING HU) In Chinese traditional culture, dragon and phoenix are deific animals while chicken is also a divine poultry associating to the image of phoenix. “Chicken” is a phonogram of “luck”, thus people have took chicken to imply auspicious blessing since ancient times. However, the ancient Chinese recognized that chicken has 5 virtues called grace, vigorousness, courage,righteousness and faith. The image of chicken had become a mascot for painters at that time. Along the way, there has been a wreath of brilliant painters who are good at chicken painting after Song dynasty, while the history of rooster painting can be traced back to Tang dynasty in China.
The basic element of painting is to seize inspiration in the real world and find beautiful things in ordinary days. The embodiment of the spirit of the time through traditional paintings and skills is regarded as the essence of contemporary painting. “THE BIG CHICKEN AND LUCK” was produced in 2013 by renowned Chinese contemporary flower and bird painter Fapeng Zhu. The painting of 24.1 square chi, 185*145cm, has realized 2.5 millions at the 27th Fuzhou Auction organized by Yuntong Company on 1st Jan.,2015. It was sold to a collector for a good price owing to the auspicious implication of the art work, as the pronunciation of chicken is a appealing pun of luck in Chinese culture. What’s more, the painting is also highly appreciated as it implies the spirit of the time and the appealing feel from the famed painter Fapeng Zhu.
A great chicken painting is not only a reflection of the aggressiveness beings, it ‘s more important to present the intelligence and interesting pattern of chickens. Outstanding painters of chicken are able to bring out these features profoundly. Fapeng Zhu completes this painting beyond the combination of traditional painting skills and modern colors, all at once with oriental ink and lines and western composition and shadow. He creates the full life of roosters on paper over a few touches, revealing the natural but not imprudent proof in the changing inks, full and smooth lines. The chicken flocks playing on the meadow are adorable out of the forms. While it is clear to see the lifelike scenery of their expression and wagging postures when engage in catching worms. In terms ofmetaphysical theory, the painting has shown a dynamic view above the impressive inks, progressive composition and colors. It delights all visual perceptions of the spectator as a lively portray of “Big Chicken and Luck”
The four chickens in the painting are very interesting. There comes along a hardworking chicken. Fapeng Zhu applies proper inks to show the fluff and wings, distorted and long body balanced with bright red comb. The rough shape of its feather on the left side contributes a fledged and strong chicken gazing at his friend. In front of which, there is a exciting being, sidling up and standing by for a fight. Behind them, a running chicken aims to its target, behaving the active being in the picture. Around the chicken, the grass appears and hides partly, being a thick meadow for finding food and playing. In this work, the expansive power of Chinese painting by Fapeng Zhu’s has revealed the pulse and spirit of the times.
Fapeng Zhu is a national artist in China and a member ofChinese Artists Association. He has been rated as one of the top 60 painters of Chinese painting in the past six decades since the founding of PRC byChina Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC), as well as the top 100 artists winning Artron AMI of modern Chinese ink painting in 2010 and 2011 and one of the eight great artists ofcontemporary painting in China. In recent years, his works have been nominated for auction by several leading Chinese auction companies, including China Poly Group, Hanhai, Guardian Auction and Rombon company in spring seasons. In his free-sketch painting, the original works are integrated with traditional Chinese painting skills and the essence of modern western painting in result of magnificent, refined and elegant art. The distinct style and vigor of this famed artist is highly appreciated by collectors. The price of his works has soared rapidly since 2007, from 2000 to 50000 RMB per square chi. It goes up 25 times in five years at the average increase of up to 70%. Part of his works has been collected in National Museum of China, National Art Museum of China, Beijing Great Hall and other pavilions. In 2014, the PRC Consulate General in San Francisco and Chicago also collected Fapeng Zhu’s creation.