Lot No: 2489

Estimate(RMB): 800,000-1,200,000

“观音”是徐悲鸿创作中最罕见、最高等级的题材之一,在他绘画生涯中极不轻易为他人所作,相较于奔马、雄狮等常见主题,目前所见其存世观音作品仅六件,文献记载有四件。本件作品创作于1937年的观音诞辰日,是悲鸿具有开创意义的首件观音题材作品。本幅《白描观音造像》也是悲鸿笔下唯一一幅全侧身观音像,构图造像独特。观音题材徐悲鸿仅为极重要之人,或在极重要场合才会创作。据载,徐悲鸿曾在1939年,作观音像三幅,一为中国抗战之阵亡将士祈福,二为他在新加坡时期重要赞助人黄曼士所作,三为弘一法师弟子广洽法师所作,上款人级别非常之高。此外,在1938年,徐悲鸿曾绘观音像,献给红颜知己孙多慈的母亲,盼望能成全他和孙多慈的姻缘,虽事与愿违,但可见观音这一神圣宗教题材,对徐悲鸿具有特殊的意义。本幅《白描观音造像》的上款人地位非同一般,乃民国时期广西省政府主席黄旭初之母覃氏,但由于经历了特殊时期,上款“黄老伯母”已被挖去。此画源自黄旭初亲属后人,自悲鸿完成后一直藏于黄氏家中,数十年从未公开,藏者视若珍宝,原装原裱。而今正值徐悲鸿先生诞辰百卅年之际,此画作为悲鸿与桂系重要人物私交往来的重要见证,抗战时期艺术与政治交织互动的最好呈现,今终得以面世,诚乃幸事。黄旭初是“新桂系”首领之一,与李宗仁、白崇禧合称“广西三杰”,自1931年起,连任广西省主席十九年,被称为“广西大管家”。二十世纪三十年代初,徐悲鸿多次赴广西,与桂系军政人物交往密切。1936年5月,徐悲鸿被聘为广西政府顾问,6月他离开南京前往广西,受到李宗仁、白崇禧、黄旭初等人的礼遇。1937年之际,徐悲鸿居住在李宗仁为他安排的居所,几乎每天中午到省府内用餐,经常与时任省主席的黄旭初同桌进餐。广西政要们的推崇让徐悲鸿倍感荣幸,于是在1937年春,徐悲鸿绘制巨幅油画《广西三杰》(徐悲鸿纪念馆藏,即李宗仁、白崇禧、黄旭初骑马像),以报礼遇之情。黄旭初为人孝顺,晚年着《我的母亲》回忆录,西泠印社2010秋拍曾释出一件徐悲鸿《献寿图》,此画创作于1936年冬,上款“黄老伯母”正是黄旭初之母覃氏,与本幅《白描观音造像》为同一上款,且两件作品创作时间相隔不久,可见这一时期徐悲鸿与黄旭初往来密切。抗战全面爆发后,徐悲鸿以艺术投身救国运动,黄旭初作为地方主政者亦倡导文艺抗战,徐悲鸿与黄旭初的往来,前者借广西舞台践行艺术救国理想,后者以文化政策提升地方软实力,这种合作在抗战洪流中交织出艺术与政治共担民族大义的独特篇章。徐悲鸿本不轻易作白描,因黄母信佛,加之黄旭初身份特殊,徐悲鸿首次尝试了白描观音这一题材以应和黄母心意,而本画尽显悲鸿白描人物功力之深厚。画面中的观音侧身示人,手持杨柳枝,赤足立于莲台之上,衣纹摇曳,身姿动态自然娴静,似在聆听世人祈求,面容极有可能借鉴了覃氏原型,眉目间流露出坚韧与慈爱并存的母性气质。白描作品自古至今在美术史中都是特殊的画种,画家常在描绘佛教题材时运用白描。对比历代观音画像,悲鸿笔下的观音显然打破了程序化的开脸和姿态,更具人间气息。他在画作中刻意淡化观音的宗教属性,这种“人间观音”的形象重塑,暗含对女性力量的致敬,亦是对封建时代观音性别模糊化的反驳。XU BEIHONG PORTRAIT OF AVALOKITESVARAInk on paper, mountedDated 1937Note: Dedicated to Huang Xuchu's mother.Provenance: The client acquired the lot from Huang Xuchu's family.97.5×39.5cmRMB: 800,000-1,200,000
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