(Chinese theatre)

Lin Fengmian was born in Miexian in Guangdong Province, is a major 20th century artist. His early career was centred in Shanghai where he was instrumental in introductory Western techniques and subject matter (eg. life drawing, nudes) in art education. He had spent years in Europe mastering Western styles and on his return to China, he clampioed self-expression by sinicizing Post-Impression art techniques.

After Liberation in 1949, Lin Fengmian was considered ideologically “impure” because he had assimilated Western techniques. It became difficult for him to practice his work and in 1977 he chose to escape to Hong Kong.

Lin Fengmian’s elegant, elongated women are one of the hallmarks of his distinctive style. This painting is of particular interest because it is a theatre subject and also because the vendor obtained it directly from the artists when he was living in Shanghai in the late 1940s – early 1950s.’