Christie’s Fine Chinese Modern Paintings was held in Hong Kong yesterday, offering an array of paintings including a number of blue-chip works by masters like Zhang Daqian, Fu Baoshi, Xu Beihong and Qi Baishi. The overall bidding atmosphere was sluggish even for the leading lot, Zhang Daqian’s Viewing the Waterfall.
Zhang Daqian’s Viewing the Waterfall is a classic work that illustrates Zhang’s ‘splashed colour technique’. This style of splashed painting is rare as it was Zhang's first time using splashed colours to paint. It was created in 1963 when Zhang was on his tropical retreat outside São Paolo. It carried a presale estimate of HK$60m-80m.
Sophia Zhou, specialist for Chinese Paintings
The auctioneer started the bidding at HK$35m and knocked down the hammer at HK$55m after several bid increments. The painting was sold for HK$64.2m (premium included) to the telephone bidder represented by Sophia Zhou, Specialist for Chinese Paintings.
The second top lot was Fu Baoshi’s Asking the Child under Pinetree. The painting was part of the Bai Yun Tang collection which was amassed by the renowned artist Huang Junbi. Huang is one of the masters of Chinese landscape painting, and together with Zhang Daqian and Pu Xinyu, they are known as the ‘Three Masters Who Crossed the Sea’ as they all left mainland China and settled in Taiwan. Asking the Child Under Pinetree was painted by Fu Baoshi for Huang in 1943.
Ben Kong, International Specialist Head of Chinese Paintings
With an opening bid of HK$24m, the painting only received five subsequent bids and was hammered down for HK$35m. It was sold for HK$41.7m (premium included) to Ben Kong, International Specialist Head of Chinese Paintings, who bought the painting on behalf of his client.
The third highest price was also achieved by Fu Baoshi with his 1940s painting Playing Flute in Dongshan. Estimated at HK$26m to 35m, it was previously in the collection of prominent collectors like Robert Chang and Tsai Chen-nan.
The bidding atmosphere for the painting was lukewarm. Playing Flute in Dongshan was hammered down at its low estimate HK$26m and sold for HK$31.3m after buyer’s premium.
Xie Zhiliu’s Eight Dogs, the cover lot of the sale, carried a presale estimate of HK$8m-12m. Failing to attract interest from bidders, the painting was end up unsold.
Top three lots
Zhang Daqian (1899 - 1983). Viewing the Waterfall. 1963. (Scroll, mounted on wooden board and framed, ink and colour on paper)
Lot no.: 1379
Size: 134 x 68cm
Inscribed and signed: with one seal of the artist
Dated: twelfth month, guimao year (1963)
Provenance:
- Christie’s Hong Kong, Fine Modern and Contemporary Chinese Paintings, 25 April 2004, Lot 41;
- Previously from the Collection of Chai Sian Kwan
Estimate: HK$60,000,000 - 80,000,000
Hammer price: HK$55,000,000
Price realised: HK$64,225,000
Fu Baoshi (1904 -1965). Asking the Child under Pinetree. 1943. (Unmounted scroll, framed, ink and colour on paper)
Lot no.: 1431
Size: 108.5 x 31cm
Inscribed and signed: with three seals of the artist
Dated: twelfth month, guiwei year (1943)
Provenance: The Collections of Pai Yun Tang, Volume 2, Cathay Art Museum, August 1981, pp. 204-205, pl. 106
Estimate: HK$35,000,000 - 45,000,000
Hammer price: HK$35,000,000
Price realised: HK$41,725,000
Fu Baoshi (1904 -1965). Asking the Child under Pinetree. 1943. (Unmounted scroll, framed, ink and colour on paper)
Lot no.: 1431
Size: 108.5 x 31cm
Inscribed and signed: with three seals of the artist
Dated: twelfth month, guiwei year (1943)
Provenance: The Collections of Pai Yun Tang, Volume 2, Cathay Art Museum, August 1981, pp. 204-205, pl. 106
Estimate: HK$35,000,000 - 45,000,000
Hammer price: HK$35,000,000
Price realised: HK$41,725,000
The unsold cover lot
Xie Zhiliu (1910-1997). Eight Dogs. (Eight scrolls, mounted as handscroll, ink and colour on paper)
Lot no.: 1438
Size: 42.5 x 41cm (each scroll)
Entitled, inscribed and signed: with a total of sixty-one seals
Colophon inscribed and signed: by the artist, with two seals
Dated: summer, sixth month, jiayin year (1974)
Provenance: The current collector purchased this painting from an exhibition of the artist at the China Cultural Relics Exhibition Hall in the China Resources Building, Hong Kong in 1986, and has remained in his collection for over three decades
Estimate: HK$8,000,000 - 12,000,000
Passed
Auction summary
Auction house: Christie’s Hong Kong
Sale: Fine Chinese Modern Paintings
Auction date: 2018/5/29
Lots offered: 356
Sale total: HK$423,478,750