It was in 1956 that Chu Teh-chun began to try his hand at abstract painting, melding his great skill and cultivation in Chinese calligraphy with the uninhibited impetuousness of Western abstract art. Chu's transition from objective representation to abstract composition took place in a very short period of time. By the 1960s, Chu had firmly established his position as an artist in Paris, a man in his best years who was rapidly approaching the acme of his creative career. Chu-tsing Li, Professor Emeritus at the Fine Arts Dept. of the University of Kansas, described Chu Teh-chun's work of the 1960s in the following way: "At that time most of his paintings consisted of monochromatic backgrounds with borders that were painted using wet, rapidly done brush strokes that moved in different directions. Sometimes they look like colored clouds, other times like water flowing in mountain cataracts, and then again like boulders amid wide open spaces. Among these apparitions he added very fine brush strokes using various and lively line work, along with vivid points of color that activated the picture plane, possibly reflecting the influence of de Stael. His strongest influences, however, were derived from Chinese landscape painting technique and calligraphy. Every aspect of Chu's painting retained very personal characteristics, and today he still maintains a strongly individualistic style."(cf. Chu-tsing Li, 'The Abstract World of Chu Teh-chun', Exhibition of Chu Teh-chun's Recent Works 1985-1996, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Nov. 1997, p. 26)

In the oil paintings from the early 1960s, Chu borrowed inspiration from Asian calligraphy. Poet Chu Ko said, "Chu Teh-chun's paintings after 1960s can be seen as the landscape in Asian culture (not Chinese landscape)."Painters from Song Dynasty, Fan Kuan and Kuo Hsi who produced majestic landscapes had definite influence on Chu. The ancient concept that "the heart is the ultimate teacher "reflects the soul of abstract expressionism. In the mind of the artist, traditional Chinese painting and abstract painting found common grounds.

Inspired by Song Dynasty landscape painters, Chu Teh-chun reinvented the structure of his panoramas. Chu's rather introverted, reflective character is echoed in his painting style with its dense yet subdued and darkish colours spread out over large sections of the canvas, segueing imperceptibly into gyrating vortices, vibrating surfaces or gradually unfolding expanses. The artist's earlier works are suffused with the quiet repose and understated, refined poesy of Chinese landscapes. Yet Chu does not resort to the traditional Chinese technique of liubai (representing features such as water and skies by leaving parts of the painting blank), but rather activates the whole plane of the canvas with deep, muted shades to create a unique atmosphere that mirrors every facet of the artist's character-including his sublime appreciation of Chinese painting techniques and their far-reaching implications. After long years of absorption and sedimentation, this cultural heritage erupts, sublimated and modified by Chu's strong individuality and keen artistic intuition, to find expression in paintings of magnificent force and momentum.

"Composition No.116" was Chu Teh-chun's 116th abstract painting. Abstract artists usually leave their works without a title to avoid preconceived understandings of their art. They give their compositions numbers or dates of creation. From 1958-59, Chu Teh-chun gave his oil paintings numbers and French names. Then later, he simply omitted titles and replaced them entirely with numbers. Around 1970 he found himself puzzled by so many numbers, so he started to use poetic titles since, after all, poetic verses were also abstract. He believed poetic names wouldn't obstruct viewers' freedom of understanding. On the contrary, a good title may help viewers to get closer to the atmosphere which he as a painter had tried to create.

This lot from 1962, "Composition No. 116" is showing placid yet profound colors liberally applied with a firm brush that exerts an unbridled energy and strength. Intersecting lines create an urgent sense of vitality that has all the irresistible momentum of a mellow, melodious symphonic poem. Through the delicately sublimated rhythms of nature we can also discover the artist's fiery enthusiasm and deep emotion, truly making this one of his most valuable early oil paintings.