Lot 542,
"Plum Blossoms," by Li Fangying, ink on paper, one of eight album
leaves, 8 1/2 by 12 5/8 inches
By Carter B. Horsley
The March 21, 2013 auction at
Sotheby's New York of Fine Classical Chinese Paintings is
highlighted by some wonderful calligraphy, beautiful works by Li
Fangying and Jin Yao, and good works by Tang Dai, Yun Shouping and
several works by Zhang Daqian (Chang Dai-chien).
Lot 542 is
a beautiful album of eight leaves called "Plum Blossoms" by Li Fangying
(1695-1754). Each ink on paper leaf measures 8 1/2 by 12 6/8
inches. The lot, which is the cover illustration of the catalogue, has
an estimate of $120,000 to $150,000. It sold for $317,000 including
the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article.
The auction was quite
successful with 117 of 139 offered lots (84.2 percent) selling for
$18,559,250, which was 95.3 percent sold by value. The pre-sale estimate was $7,000,000 to $11,000,000.
As good as many of the lots
in this auctions are they cannot compare with some of the spectacular
works in the SHUIMO exhibition of Chinese Contemporary Ink Paintings in
Sotheby's SI2 Gallery from March 14 to March 28, 2013. The show
is the first selling exhibition of Asian Art at Sotheby's and is
highlighted by the very spectacular and very large works by Li Huayi
that take the traditional subjects and style of Chinese paintings to
awesome new heights.
Lot 601,
"Flower, Birds and Insects," by JinYao, ink and color handscroll, 11
1/2 by 143 1/4 inches
Lot 601 is a
very bright and beautiful ink and color handscroll of flowers,birds and
insects by Jin Yao (18th Century). It measures 11 1/2 by 143
1/4 inches. It has an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000. It sold for $118,750.
Lot
597, "Flowers and insects after Shen Zhou," by Li Shan, ink and color
on paper, one of a pair of hanging scrolls, 10 3/4 by 15 5/8 inches
Lot 597 is one
of a pair of scrolls by Li Shan (1686-1762). Entitled
"Flowers and insects after Shen Zhou," it measures 10 3/4 by 15 5/8
inches. It is notable for having calligraphy in the upper
right corner that seems to run diagonally down a branch. It
has an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000. It failed to sell.
Lot 507,
"Flower and Birds," by Ren Yi, ink and color on paper hanging scroll,
32 3/4 by 9 inches
Lot 507 is a
pleasant ink and color on paper hanging scroll of "Flower and Birds" by
Ren Yi (1840-1896). It measures 32 3/4 by 9 inches.
It has an estimate of $5,000 to $7,000. It sold for $20,000.
Lot 508, "Buffalo,
Herdboys, and Geese," by Wang Zhen, ink and color on paper
hanging scroll, 66 by 18 5/8 inches
Lot 508 is a
hanging scroll by Wang Zhen (1867-1938) that is entitled "Buffalo,
Herdboys and Geese." An ink and color on paper, it measures
66 by 18 5/8 inches. It has an estimate of $7,000 to $9,000. It sold for $10,000.
Lot
502,"Landscape after Huang Gongwang and Ni Zan," by Wang Yuanqi, ink on
paper hanging scroll, 24 5/8 by 13 inches
Lot 504 is an
ink on paper hanging sccroll by Wang Yuanqi (1642-1715) that is
entitled "Landscape after Huang Gongwang and Ni Zan." It
measures 24 5/8 by 13 inches. It has an estimate of $25,000
to $35,000. It
sold for $137,000.
Lot 501,
"Landscape after Huang Gongwang," by Wang Shimin, ink and color on silk
hanging scroll, 13 5/8 by 14 5/8 inches
Lot 501 is an
ink and color on silk hanging scroll by Wang Shimin (1592-1680) that is
entitled "Landscape after Huang Gongwang." It measures 13 5/8
by 14 5/8 inches. it has an estimate of $25,000 to $35,000.
It sold for
$47,500.
Lot 522,
"Expounding on History in a Pine-Shaded Pavilion," by Xu Fang, ink and
color on silk, hanging scroll, 38 by 13 5/8 inches
Lot 522 is a
nice hanging scroll on silk by Xu Fang (1622-1694). Entitled
"Expounding on History in a Pine-Shaded Pavilion," it measures 38 by 13
5/8 inches. It has an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000.
It sold for
$93,750.
Lot 547,
"Thatched Pavilion," attributed to Huang Gongwang, ink on silk, 48 3/8
by 23 5/8 inches
Lot 547 is a
large ink on silk entitled "Thatched Pavilion" that the catalogue
states is "attributed to Huang Gongwang (1269-1354), noting that it has
a "spurious" colophon of Ni Zan (1301-1374). It measures 48
3/4 by 23 5/8 inches. It has an estimate of $10,000 to
$15,000. It
sold for $12,500.
Lot 566, "Recluse in Lofty Summer Mountains," attributed to
Fan Kuan (?-1031), ink and color on silk hanging scroll, 43
1/8 by 21 7/8 inches. Fan Kuan is one of the rarest and most
important of all Chinese classical painters. This lot has an
estimate of $350,000 to $500,000. It
sold for $425,000.
Lot 560,
"Landscape after Wu Zhen," by Lan Ying, ink on silk hanging scroll,
63 by 18 inches
Lot 560 is a
nice ink on silk hanging scroll by Lan Ying (1585-1666) that is
entitled "Landscape after Wu Zhen." It measures 63 by 18
inches. It has an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000. It sold for $245,000.
Lot 561 is ahandscroll by Zha Shibiao (1615-1698) that is entitled
"Peach-Blossom Spring" and measures 13 7/8 by 154 5/8 inches.
It has an estimate of $300,000 to $500,000. It sold for $545,000.
Another version of the composition is in the collection of
the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City.
Lot 585 is a beautiful handscroll by Zhang Zhong (14th Century) of two
Wagtails that is an ink on paper that measures 7 7/8 by 24 1/2 inches.
It has an estimate of $150,000 to $250,000. It sold for $1,169,000.
Lot 612 is a handscroll by Tang Dai (1673-?) of a "Stream-Laced
Mountain After Snow." An ink and color on silk, it measures
11 by 93 3/8 inches. It has an estimate of $400,000 to
$600,000. It
sold for $2,741,000.
The auction
includes several works by Zhang Daqian (Chang Dai-chien) (1899-1983)
the legendary forger, connoisseur and collector who is suspected of
having painted several works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (see the
Chinagate section of thecityreview.com/home.html).
Lot 615 os a handscroll entitled "Mirror Lake"
that measures 11 1/4 by 49 1/8 inches. It has an estimate of
$250,000 to $350,000. It
sold for $1,085,000.
The auction also has two works by Wang Jiqian (C. C. Wang), Lots 639
and 640. The latter, a landscape, had an estimate of $5,000
to $7,000. It
sold for $20,000. C. C. Wang sold 25 Chinese
paintings to the Metropolitan Museum of Art that are the subject of
"Chinagate" (see reference above).
Lot 531,
"Landscape after Huang Gongwang," by Wang Yuanqi, ink and color on
paper, fan leaf, 6 3/4 by 19 1/8 inches
Lot 751 is a
nice fan leaf by Wang Yuanqi (1642-1715) that is entitled "Landscape
after Huang Gongwang." It measures 6 3/4 by 19 1/9 inches.
It has an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000. It sold for $60,000.
Lot
534, "Spring Breeze," by Yun Shouping, ink and color on gold paper, fan
leaf, 6 3/4 by 19 7/8 inches
Lot 534 is a
lovely fan leaf by Yun Shouping (1633-1690) that is entitled "Spring
Breeze." An ink and color on gold paper, it measures 6 3/4 by
19 7/8 inches. It has an estimate of $25,000 to $35,000.
It sold for
$81,250.
Lot
570, "Poem in Cursive Script" by Fu Shan, ink on silk hanging scroll,
88 by 25 1/4 inches
Lot 570 is a
large ink on silk hanging scroll of calligraphy by Fu Shan (1607-1684).
It measures 88 by 25 1/4 inches. It has an estimate
of $300,000 to $500,000. It
failed to sell.
Lot 568 is a scroll with calligraphy by Zhu Yunming
(1460-1526) from the collection of Robert Ellsworth. It
measures 8 5/8 by 38 7/8 inches. It has an estimate of $150,000 to
$250,000. It
sold for $1,385,000. Entitled "Du Fu's Poem
'Autumn Meditations,'" it contains two of Du Fu's eight poems in the
set.
Lot 578 is a 14 1/8-by-336 1/8-inch handscroll of exquisite and very
beautiful calligraphy by Zhang Bi (1425-1487) that has an estimate of
$600,000 to $800,000. It
sold for $749,000.
Lot 582 is a 10 3/8-by-42 7/8-inch handscroll of calligraphy by Wang
Shouren (1472-1529) that has an estimate of $300,000 to $500,000.
It sold for
$1,925,000.
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