Entertainment tycoon and philanthropist Sir Run Run Shaw made a lasting impact on the Chinese-language film and television industries.
The Shaw Brothers Studio and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) in Hong Kong were both established by Shaw. Through both platforms, many stars and filmmakers shone brightly and grew popular internationally.
In 2014, he passed away at 106 years old. Part of his late Collection will feature in Sotheby’s Hong Kong Sales during this Spring season – including modern art, Chinese painting and calligraphy, and jade. The auction proceeds from the Collection will be donated to the Shaw Foundation Hong Kong to support the organisation’s charitable projects.
Chen Yifei’s masterpiece, Banquet, is the highlight lot from Shaw’s Collection. In 1992, the painting appeared on the cover of Christie’s Hong Kong auction catalogue and was purchased by Shaw for HK$1.98 million (around US$250,000) dollars – setting the then auction record for Chinese oil paintings. And after 30 years, Banquet will be auctioned again – can it set a new auction record for the Chinese realist painter?
Chen Yifei ￨ Banquet, Oil on canvas
Created in 1991
137 x 208 cm
Provenance:
- Sale: Christie's Swire, Hong Kong, 30 March 1992, Lot 50 (illustrated on the cover and p. 81)
- Collection of Sir Run Run Shaw (acquired directly from the above sale)
Sale: Modern Evening Auction
Estimate upon request
Born in Ningbo, eastern China, Sir Run Run Shaw (Shao Renleng) was born into a wealthy textile family as the sixth amongst seven children. In 1925, his eldest brother, Shao Renjie, established the Tianyi Film Company in Shanghai.
Shaw’s began his movie career doing odd jobs for his elder brothers' company, the equivalent of a mailroom clerk in Hollywood, but with a much more versatile role. He finished high school in Shanghai and his father expected him to go on to college. But Shaw loved what he was doing at the company, rotating through many roles – including scriptwriter, actor, director and cinematographer; a role in which he excelled.
Sir Run Run Shaw
In 1927, he went to Singapore to assist third elder brother, Shao Renmei, in their business venture there, initially to market films to Southeast Asia's Chinese community. Together, they established the company that later became the Shaw Organisation, and were involved in distributing and producing films in Southeast Asia – in countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.
During World War Two, the Shaw Brothers' film careers took a toll. In 1957, Shaw returned to Hong Kong and founded Shaw Brothers Studio. Built on the shore of Clearwater Bay, the production centre called Movietown meant movie stars, directors and technicians could work on their latest creations.
More than 1,000 films were produced by the Studio and were well-received – including themes of martial arts, heroism, comedy and drama. For example, The One-Armed Swordsman (1967) set a Hong Kong box office record and led to multiple sequels. During this period, the Studio's fame became international and developed profitable side deals with Hollywood studios.
In addition to the entertainment business, Shaw was also a prominent philanthropist. In 1973, he founded the Shaw Foundation Hong Kong to promote global development of education, healthcare, scientific research and the arts. In 2002, the Shaw Prize was established – international scholars are awarded for their outstanding contributions in the fields of astronomy, life science and medicine, and mathematical sciences.
Films such as One Armed Swordsman (1967) was created by the Shaw Brothers Studio
Created in 1991, Chen Yifei’s Banquet painting was collected by Sir Run Run Shaw. Measuring 137 by 208 centimetres, this work is one of the artist’s series of paintings from the 1990s depicting classical Chinese beauties.
In 1992, the painting appeared on Christie's Hong Kong auction catalogue’s cover. In the end, it was purchased for HK$1.98 million dollars (around US$250,000 dollars).
Chen’s oil paintings combine classic realist and romantic styles – inspired by both Eastern and Western art and culture. In 1980, he went to Hunter College in New York to study a Master of Fine Arts. Three years later, in 1983, his solo exhibitions of eastern Chinese landscapes created a sensation by selling out in the first week. Chen later held several solo exhibitions, and his artistic style attracted attention from the Western art world.
In 2017, Chen’s auction record was set – his Warm Spring in the Jade Pavillion painting was sold at China Guardian, Beijing for RMB 149.5 million (around US$23.4 million dollars). It was bought by Chinese billionaire collector, Liu Yiqian, at a record-breaking price.
Chen's Warm Spring in the Jade Pavillion (1993)
Chen’s top three auction records are:
- Warm Spring in the Jade Pavillion (1993)｜China Guardian Beijing, 2017｜Sold: RMB 149,500,000 (around US$23.4 million)
- Upland Wind (1994)｜China Guardian Beijing, 2011｜Sold: RMB 81,650,000 (around US$18 million)
- Beauties on Promenade (1997)｜Christie’s Hong Kong, 2018｜Sold: HK$83,350,000 (around US$10.6 million)
Measuring 169.5 by 243.5 centimetres, Warm Spring in the Jade Pavillion is nearly 45 per cent larger than Banquet. Using Warm Spring in the Jade Pavillion’s sale price as a benchmark, the sale price of Banquet is about RMB 103 million (around US$16.1 million dollars).
If sold at this price, it will become Chen's second most expensive painting – ahead of Upland Wind which garnered RMB 81.6 million (around US$12.8 million dollars) at China Guardian, Beijing in 2011. It was also bought by Liu Yiqian.
Chen's Upland Wind (1994)
Chen's Beauties on Promenade (1997)
Alongside Chen, the sale brings four pieces of Southeast Asian art from the Shaw Collection – by two artists, Cheong Soo Pieng and Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merpres. The paintings capture a captivating view of life in Southeast Asia.
Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merpres ￨ Four Balinese Women in the Interior of the Le Mayeur house, Sanur, Bali; Oil on canvas
Created between 1954-1957
89.5 x 111 cm
Provenance:
- Collection of Sir Run Run Shaw
Sale: Modern Evening Auction
Estimate: HK$2,000,000 – 3,000,000
Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merpres ￨ Three Balinese in Garden, oil on canvas in the original hand-carved Balinese frame
Created between 1954-1957
75 x 90.5 cm
Provenance:
- Collection of Sir Run Run Shaw
Sale: Modern Evening Auction
Estimate: HK$1,500,000 – 2,500,000
Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merpres ￨ Two Balinese Women with Offerings, Sanur Beach, Oil on canvas
Created between 1954-1957
75 x 90.5 cm
Provenance:
- Collection of Sir Run Run Shaw
Sale: Modern Evening Auction
Estimate: HK$800,000 – 1,500,000
Cheong Soo Pieng ￨ Brother and Sister, Oil on canvas
Created in 1976
99 x 81 cm
Provenance:
- Collection of Sir Run Run Shaw
Sale: Modern Evening Auction
Estimate: HK$700,000 – 900,000
In addition to modern art, Chinese paintings and calligraphy, as well as jade collected by Sir Run Run Shaw are equally exquisite. Highlights include masterpieces such as Fu Baoshi's Viewing a Towering Waterfall, Zhang Daqian’s Lotus in the Wind and a jadeite incense burner and cover from the 17th to 20th century.
Fu Baoshi ￨ Viewing a Towering Waterfall, Ink and colour on paper, framed
Created in 1962
109.3 x 63.3 cm
Sale: Fine Chinese Paintings
Estimate: HK$3,500,000 – 6,000,000
Zhang Daqian ￨ Lotus in the Wind, Ink and colour on paper, framed
Created in 1970
179.2 x 89.8 cm
Sale: Fine Chinese Paintings
Estimate: HK$3,000,000 – 5,000,000
Lin Fengmian ￨ Landscape, Ink and colour on paper, framed
68.5 x 67.3 cm
Sale: Fine Chinese Paintings
Estimate: HK$1,500,000 – 3,000,000
Fan Zeng ￨ Sitting Under the Pine Tree, Ink and colour on paper, framed
Created in 1980
111.2 x 67.8 cm
Sale: Fine Chinese Paintings
Estimate: HK$100,000 – 200,000
Jadeite Lobed Tripod Incense Burner and Cover
Created during Qing dynasty (1644-1911)
Height: 21 cm
Sale: Important Chinese Art including Jades from the De An Tang Collection and Gardens of Pleasure – Erotic Art from the Berthelot Collection
Estimate: HK$500,000 – 700,000