Yee Bon (China 1905-95) "Portrait of an Elder Male" oil on canvas signed lower left, 39 x 29 cm Provenance Estate of Lam Chung Fung, Balwyn North (minor paint losses , easy to restore) In the 1930s, art scenes in China were rapidly developing as in cities like Beijing and Shanghai. Coastal cities in the south such as Guangzhou and Hong Kong, meanwhile, formed a strong force in cultivating Chinese oil paintings. Artists such as Yee Bon, Guan Liang, Li Tiefu, Feng Gangbai, Huang Xinbo, Lee Byng, Ng Po Wan, Luis Chan and Bao Shaoyou once all resided in Hong Kong, and contributed to a small, but remarkably vibrant, artistic community. Yee Bon was one of the most prominent painters in Hong Kong during the 1950s, his works were enormously influential in the early art development of Hong Kong. In 1918, Yee Bon left for Canada and began receiving formal art education at Winnipeg School . Yee Bon (1905-1995) was a Chinese artist born in Guangdong province in 1905. He dedicated his life to promoting Western art in Asia, a love which came from his early experiences in Canada. He moved to Canada in search of work to support his family back home in China when he was only 13 years old in 1918. Leaving his family to navigate this new world in Canada was undoubtedly difficult for the young Bon, but he soon found his calling. In 1928, he attended the Winnipeg School of Art, studying Western Classical and Realist painting techniques. In 1932, Yee Bon transferred to Toronto’s Ontario College of Art to study under notable “Group of Seven” artists J.E.H MacDonald and Frank Johnston, among others. It was probably around this time when he was attending school in Toronto when he painted Mississauga’s beautiful Credit River. Indeed, Bon’s work is reminiscent of the Group of Seven works, but with an Eastern twist, which Bon was so well known for. In 1932, Yee became the first Chinese artist to exhibit in the National Art Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. After finishing his studies in 1935, he returned to China and settled in Hong Kong. However, tensions were high upon his arrival. The Sino-Japanese and Pacific Wars were looming, and few wanted to invest or take notice of seemingly trivial matters like art. Yee Bon nevertheless set up his own art studio, refusing to stop painting. He sought to merge the techniques of the West which he had come to love with the national spirit of his homeland. In 1937, acclaimed Chinese artist Xu Beihong visited his exhibition and studio exclaiming, "I think oil painting is novel to China, especially in the South. I had no idea that there are [such] great oil painters in Hong Kong [like] Yee Bon." Bon had been looking for a muse to harness his creativity when Xu Beihong invited Bon to paint with him through his journeys to Guilin that year. Along the Lijiang River, he saw boat workers fighting against the strong river currents. Yee was deeply moved by the sight. He had found his muse at last- he found strength in the quiet heroism and perseverance of the working class. As such, his works of the late ‘30s onwards often display powerful scenes of everyday people doing extraordinary things. YEE BON_GOING TO THE FIELDS_1936 His love of working-class depictions in his art came from his experiences of being a labourer in Canada. Bon believed, "A painter should paint what he is familiar with in order to reflect the passion to the things he loves. He should not construct entirely from imagination or forcefully portray subjects that belong to a world out of his. These can only be ornaments rather than sentimental works of art". His empathy and understanding were what ultimately inspired him. Along with fellow artists Lee Byng and Luis Chan, Bon put on exhibitions and educational activities for the Hong Kong public, despite their often-limited resources. Their influence was undeniable. The trio were known as the “Three Musketeers” of Hong Kong’s art scene during the ‘40s and ‘50s. Yee Bon would go on to continue his artistic career, creating beautifully poignant oil paintings for over 60 years. His paintings have been displayed all over China and North America, including the Guangzhou Institute of Fine Arts, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, and the National Art Museum of China, Beijing. Yee Bon passed away in 1995. That brings us back to our Credit River painting, whose story began on the banks of our little river here in Mississauga nearly 100 years ago. It was displayed for many years at the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus. In 2015, the painting was cut and removed directly from its original frame and stolen by persons unknown. From what I can discern, it has never been seen again. In all honesty, I was heartbroken when I learned of its fate. During Asian Heritage Month in May, I find myself reflecting on the accomplishments of Asian and Pacific Islanders here in Canada. I find myself contemplating the importance of people like Yee whose life was dedicated to bridging gaps and overcoming barriers between the East and the West. That is why the theft of such a piece is so tragic to me because Yee Bon would have been an artist I would have looked up to as a kid and felt seen and heard in his brush strokes. I hope that one day, the piece will be recovered so that it can inspire others once more. Police are asking anyone with information relating to the theft of Yee Bon’s Credit River to contact police at 416-808-5200, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477. Local AMAZING PLACES FOR KAYAKING IN ... FOLLOW THESE USEFUL TIPS IF YOU ... Recent Posts The History of Mississauga’s James Austin Drive The History of Mississauga’s James Austin Drive May 13, 2023 Local The History of Mississauga’s James Austin Drive. 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Bon Yee (1905-1995) Portrait of a Child signed 'YEE BON' in Pinyin (lower right) oil on canvas laid on board 30 x 40.5 cm. (11 7/8 x 16 in.) 20th Century
Bon Yee (1905-1995) Landscape (Hong Kong) Painted in 1949 signed in Chinese (lower right); signed 'Yee Bon' in Pinyin; titled in Chinese; dated '1949' (on the reverse) oil on canvas 41 x 52 cm. (16 1/8 x 20 1/2 in.) 20th Century
Bon Yee (1905-1995) Fishermen Painted in 1951 signed in Chinese (lower left); signed 'YEE BON'; titled in Chinese; dated '1951'; inscribed '51 x 41 cm' (on the reverse) oil on panel 40.5 x 51 cm. (16 x 20 in.) 20th Century
YEE BON (YU BEN, Chinese, 1905-1995) Sails on Pearl River signed in Chinese (lower right) oil on panel 38.9 x 49.5 cm. (15 1/4 x 19 1/2 in.) Painted in 1959
YEE BON (YU BEN, Chinese, 1905-1995) Flowers and Vase signed in Chinese (lower left); signed 'YEE BON' in Pinyin (lower right) oil on panel 40.8 x 51 cm. (16 x 20 in.)
YEE BON (YU BEN, Chinese, 1905-1995) Drawing Water signed 'YEE BON' in Pinyin (lower right) oil on panel 40.5 x 50.5 cm. (15 7/8 x 19 7/8 in.) Painted in 1947
YEE BON (YU BEN, Chinese, 1905-1995) Landscape signed in Chinese; signed 'YEE BON' in Pinyin (lower left) oil on canvas 40.5 x 50.5 cm. (15 7/8 x 19 7/8 in.) Painted in 1950
YEE BON (YU BEN, Chinese, 1905-1995) Mulberry Fish Pond, Zhu Jiang, Guangzhou signed 'YEE BON' in Pinyin; signed in Chinese (lower right) oil on canvas 63.5 x 77 cm. (25 x 30 1/4 in.)
1905-1995 ABERDEEN signed in pinyin and stamped with the artist's seal; signed in pinyin, titled and dated 1952 on the reverse oil on masonite 63.5 by 76.2 cm. 25 by 30 in.
YEE BON (YU BEN, Chinese, 1905-1995) Sowing Seeds signed in Chinese (lower left) oil on canvas, laid on masonite 63 x 76 cm. (24 3/4 x 29 7/8 in.) Painted in 1948
YEE BON (YU BEN, Chinese, 1905-1995) Fishing Berth signed 'YEE BON' in Pinyin; signed in Chinese (lower left) oil on canvas, laid on masonite 63.5 x 76 cm. (25 x 29 7/8 in.) Painted in 1942
YEE BON (YU BEN, Chinese, 1905-1995) Going to the Fields signed in Chinese (lower left); signed 'YEE BON' in Pinyin; titled in Chinese; dated '1938' (on the reverse) oil on canvas, laid on masonite 79.5 x 93.8 cm. (31 3/8 x 36 7/8 in.) Painted in 1938
YEE BON (YU BEN, 1905-1995) Old Lady signed 'YEE BON' in Pinyin (lower left); signed 'YEE BON' in Pinyin; titled in Chinese; inscribed and dated '41 x 51 PH 92 1956' (on the reverse) oil on board 50.5 x 40.5 cm. (19 7/8 x 15 7/8 in.) Painted in 1956 one painted seal of the artist
YEE BON (YU BEN, 1905-1995) Portrait of a Child signed 'YEE BON' in Pinyin (lower right) oil on canvas laid on board 29.5 x 39.5 cm. (11 5/8 x 15 1/2 in.)
YEE BON (YU BEN, 1905-1995) Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong signed 'YEE BON' in Pinyin; dated '1953' (lower right of the right panel) three oil on canvas, mounted on masonite 177.7 x 121.2 cm. (70 x 47 3/4 in.); 177.7 x 111.7 cm. (70 x 44 in.); & 177.7 x 139.7 cm. (70 x 55 in.) (3) Painted in 1953
YU BEN (YEE BON) 1905-1995 SAILING BOATS Marked with the artist's seal (lower right) Executed in the 1950s oil on board 36 by 46.5 cm.; 14 1/8 by 18 3/8 in.
