signed in pinyin and Chinese and dated minguo calendar 16 and 1/27; titled on the reverse

Princesse Achille Murat, Paris
Private European Collection

Paris, Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Yun Gee, June 17 - 28, 1929

Yun Gee, Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Paris, 1929, plate 16
Yun Gee, Hsiung-Shih Art Magazine, Issue 109, Husing-Shih Art Book, Taipei, 1980, p. 52
Joyce Brodsky ed., Experiences of Passage: The Paintings of Yun Gee & Li-Lan, Universi💜ty of Washington Press, Seattle, 2008, p. 52

There is evidence of light undulation across the surface of the painting and slight scattered wear and tears along the edges of the work, primarily a tear 2 cm in length along the bottom edge, 5 cm from the left edge of the painting. There is evidence of minor craquelure at the top left corner of the work. There is no evidence of restoration under UV.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Yun Gee was active among artistic circles in San Francisco, Paris and New York, known for his powerful, creative and visionary paintings. Because of discrimination against Chinese in America and the outbreak of the Second World War, he did not garner due recognition in his lifetime. With the arrival of the 21st century, when Chinese people and their voices are heard loud and clear, it is time that this gem of an artist be accorded to his rightful position. Enrolled in the California School of Fine Arts (now the San Francisco Art Institute), Yun Gee was heavily influenced by his teacher Otis Oldfield's Cubist and Synchromist artistic philosophies.
Before he left for Paris in 1927, Yun Gee formulated such ideas where colour served as the foundation for shape and content and as a major component of compositional structure, akin to the existence of rhythm, melody and harmony in music.

Grand voleurs et petit voleurs/Against the Law was Yun Gee's masterpiece from his San Francisco period. An implementation of Synchromism, this composition comprises various colour blocks that are simple and vibrant. Although the title implies thievery, there is nothing didactic in the work. On the contrary, it appears relaxed and fun.

Few Chinese painters would choose the topic of thieves as subject matter. Even if they were to touch upon this topic, more often than not these works are but warnings to the world. Yun Gee's comic treatment stemmed not only from his youth, but also because he had absorbed the liberalism of American urban culture. In that way, he addressed the subject matter with the right balance of seriousness and humour in communicating social criticism. Grand voleurs et petit voleurs/Against the Law assumes a key position within Yun Gee's output. Even after his death, this work has been widely discussed in the m♏edia. For example, in the 1980s, Taiwan's Hsiung Shih Art Monthly highlighted this painting, identifying it as Yun Gee's masterpiece.