HONG KONG – WEBWIRE – Thursday, March 31, 2022

This spring, Christie’s is delighted to offer an outstanding collection of coveted masterpieces in the Fine Chinese Classical Paintings And Calligraphy sale on 28 May. These masterworks represent pivotal moments in Chinese art history.

The leading highlight of the season is the magnificent Washing Horses by Zhao Mengfu as catalogued in Shiqu Baoji (Top). One of the best known horse painters in ancient China, Zhao Mengfu depicted steeds individually and in large numbers. Zhao’s horse paintings derived from studying works by the Tang master Han Gan (706-783) and the Song master Li Gonglin (1049-1106), not only their techniques of outlining and colouring the animal’s forms but also to depict their spirit.

One of the thirty-eight beloved paintings and calligraphy collected by Hongli (1711-1799)―the crowned prince who later became Emperor Qianlong (r. 1735–1796)―Washing Horses by Zhao Mengfu as catalogued in Shiqu Baoji is a rare and important painting still in private hands. A few months before his ascension to the throne, Hongli inscribed a long poem, signed, and pressed three of his seals in the frontispiece of the handscroll. In 1744, Emperor Qianlong ordered the compilation of Shiqu Baoji to record paintings and calligraphy in the Qing Imperial collection, and Washing Horses was detailed in Chapter thirty-four.

With exquisite and well-preserved imperial accessories of silk and brocade wraps and a carved jade clasp, Washing Horses entered Fujita Museum’s collection in Japan in the early 20th Century. In March 2017 it was sold at Christie’s New York in the sensational Important Chinese Art from the Fujita Museum sale. Christie’s is honoured to present Washing Horses again this May in Hong Kong.

Kim Yu, International Specialist Head of Chinese Paintings Department, commented: “We are honoured to present such a sensational masterpiece with extremely strong provenance, a rarity in the auction market. The exquisite craftsmanship of the accompanied jade toggle and brocade wrap further enhances the value of this precious work. We look forward to welcoming global art lovers and collectors to savour the exceptional Chinese paintings and calligraphy this May.”

NOTES 

Preview:

Hong Kong | 1 – 4 April | Christie’s Galleries, 22/F, Alexandra House, 18 Chater Road, Central

Beijing | April/May (TBC) | Christie’s Beijing Art Space, 1/F, Tower 1, 82 Jinbao Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Shanghai | April/May (TBC) | 4/F, BUND ONE, No.1 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road Shanghai 200002, China

Taipei | 7 – 8 May | Marriott Taipei, No. 199 Lequn 2nd Road, ZhongShan District, Taipei

Hong Kong | 22 – 27 May | Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, No. 1 Harbour Road, Hong Kong

Auction:

Fine Chinese Classical Paintings and Calligraphy

Date : 28 May 2022

Fine Chinese Modern and Contemporary Ink Paintings

Date : 29 May 2022

Location: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, No. 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong

About Christie’s

Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business. Renowned and trusted for its expert live and online auctions, as well as its bespoke private sales, Christie’s offers a full portfolio of global services to its clients, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s has a physical presence in 46 countries, throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. It also is the only international auction house authorized to hold sales in mainland China (Shanghai).

Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $200 to over $100 million. In recent years, Christie’s has achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction (Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvador Mundi, 2017), for a single collection sale (the Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller, 2018), and for a work by a living artist (Jeff Koons’ Rabbit, 2019).

Christie’s Private Sales offers a seamless service for buying and selling art, jewellery and watches outside of the auction calendar, working exclusively with Christie’s specialists at a client’s individual pace.

Recent innovations at Christie’s include the groundbreaking sale of the first NFT for a digital work of art ever offered at a major auction house (Beeple’s Everydays, March 2021), with the unprecedented acceptance of cryptocurrency as a means of payment. As an industry leader in digital innovation, Christie’s also continues to pioneer new technologies that are redefining the business of art, including the creation of viewing and bidding experiences that integrate augmented reality, global livestreaming, buy-now channels, and hybrid sales formats. 

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