Sotheby's Hong Kong To Hold 20th Century Chinese Art Sale

Sylvie Chen, Head of Sotheby’s 20th Century Chinese Art Department, said: “At our Spring Auction this year, we

witnessed a substantial surge of market interest in 20th Century Chinese Art. This shows the enduring value of a whole

range of 20th Century Chinese Art and the strong appeal it holds for private collectors. This Autumn, Sotheby’s has

assembled an exciting range of lots from China and abroad, which includes representative work by great masters: from

Sanyu to Wu Guanzhong. There is also no lack of exceptional provenance, museum-quality paintings, including 10.1.68, a

1960s

“In addition, the two thematic sessions – Female Artists of 20th Century China and The Art of Paper will offer great

opportunities for collectors. A sale of paper paintings will provide insights into the literary and aesthetic values of

work in this medium. We also feel the time is right to offer works by outstanding female artists such as Pan Yuliang and

Lalan, and are pleased to have assembled a wide choice of valuable work for all collectors.”

Two mainstream movements dominated the early development of 20th Century Chinese art. The first was the Modernist

School, spearheaded by Lin Fengmian who advocated integration of Western and Eastern influences. Another was the Realism

School in which Xu Beihong was the leading figure. By comparison, a number of female artists active during this period

transcended these differences. When faced with a choice between Oriental tradition and Western modern art, they

maintained an open attitude and willingly imbibed both. Although famous female artists such as Fan Tchunpi, Cai Weilian

and Pan Yuliang were steeped in a strong foundation of Realism techniques, their artistic horizons were broadened by a

continuous input of new ideas and elements into their art.

Three Pan Yuliang masterpieces will be offered this season. Moonlight Sonata (est. HK$3.8 – 5 million) was painted

during Pan’s second trip to Paris. Here, a lady in traditional Chinese costume is seen playing the pipa, a plucked

string instrument, held in her embrace under full moonlight. Epitomising classical Oriental beauty, the maiden’s demure

elegance is expressed through her hands, facial features and feminine curves, all rendered delicately through the artist

’s brush. In contrast to her demeanor is her carefree pose and flamboyant red clothing, which seem to suggest she has a

mind of her own. The painting calls to mind the artist’s early romantic encounter with her other half Pan Zanhua, whom

she eventually married. Moonlight Sonata is undoubtedly a self-portrait by the artist and holds the key to a deeper

understanding of her artistic performances and inner emotional world when it was executed during the 1950s. The

painting, which belongs to a French private collector, was acquired from the artist’s friend Wang Shouyi and is a rare

artistic gem.

Zao Wou-ki reached another pinnacle of his career in the 1960s. It was a period when his abstract work won positive

acclaim from several international art critics, with a deluge of invitations from art museums offering to exhibit his

paintings.

a representative work of modern Chinese art master Sanyu from the 1930s. The painting was on display at the Sanyu:

Language of the Body exhibition, held at Musée Guimet in Paris in 2004. Created from continuously smooth-flowing,

decisive lines, which demonstrate the artist’s firm grasp of Chinese calligraphy skills, the pink nude figure of a

woman reclines across a yellow carpet embroidered with auspicious Chinese symbols. With her back in

Full view, it seems that she is fast asleep. Though she sleeps in solitude, her seductive figure is able to lure viewers

into her dreams. Set against a plain backdrop, Sanyu’s sparing use of colours and his concise brushwork offer a

remarkable display of Oriental aesthetics, nuances and his own bold confidence. Oil paintings from the 1930s with a

nude-portrait theme are rareand few in number. Only around ten of them have survived the decades in mint condition. This

painting comes from a private collection in Europe and is a highly desirable work of art.