SANYU: His Life and Complete Works in Oil, Volume Two

By Rita Wong

Designed by Glenn Suokko

Volume Two of Sanyu: His Life and Complete Works in Oil comprises the catalogue raisonné of the 321 known works in oil by Sanyu (Chang Yu, 1895–1966) on mirror, canvas, Masonite, board, or paper. A catalogue raisonné is a critical, comprehensive, and systematic compilation of the known oeuvre of a single artist in a given medium or combination of media. It prioritizes authenticity, supported by records of provenance, exhibitions, and publications.

It is hoped that this catalogue raisonné, with contributions by collectors, scholars, expert imaging specialists, photographers, and scientists, will elevate the scholarship on Sanyu and enhance the understanding of his art, ensuring the continuation and wide dissemination of his legacy.

About Sanyu

In 1921, Sanyu (Chang Yu, 1895–1966) was among many Chinese artists who left his homeland to travel abroad to learn foreign ways. Choosing Europe as his destination, he believed that to develop as an artist he needed to work in Paris, even though his life there over 45 years creating beautifully sensitive paintings in a unique pictorial language that bridged Eastern traditions with Western modernity was characterized by hopeful but false starts and debilitating failures. Although he died impoverished and in relative obscurity, today Sanyu is considered one of the most coveted modern artists, repeatedly breaking world records at art auctions.

Author: Rita Wong, Taiwan

Graphic design: Glenn Suokko, Vermont

Printer: Printer Trento, Italy

Publisher: Hatje Cantz Verlag, Germany

Chinese, English, French in one edition

600 pages, hardcover, 13 x 10½ inches (33 x 27 cm), 330 illustrations