As China Guardian (HK) celebrates its 5th anniversary, we are honoured to present three sales this season, offering hundreds of rare and fine Chinese paintings and calligraphy sourced from around the world.
Modern Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy
Our various-owner sale titled “Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy ” will be led by Zhang Daqian's 1964 pioneering splash-ink-and-colour work Valley and Cloudy Peaks. Painted in vertical composition, it depicts the imposing landscape of the valley with towering mountains, vertical cliffs, meandering streams and endlessly varying degrees of light and shade. This seminal work documenting Zhang’s transition to the splash-ink style is included in The Painting Collection of Zhang Daqian, a revered album of the artist’s works compiled by Kao Ling-mei in 1967. Another outstanding work, Landscape After Mao’s Poem by Fu Baoshi offers a visual representation of breathtaking rolling mountains as portrayed in Mao's poem. Other gems include Qi Baishi’s serene Guanyin recognised by renowned connoisseurs, Zhang Daqian’s glorious portrait of Lady, rare early landscapes by Lu Yan Shao, Deng Fen’s Four Paintings of Lady and more, which are expected to generate great interest among collectors.
Connoisseurs will also be delighted by “The Lana Cheung and Jim Kinoshita Collection of Chinese Art”. Lana Cheung was an acclaimed interior designer and Hong Kong-based architect Jim Kinoshita is the creative force behind many prominent buildings in the city such as Jardine House and The Landmark. Both ardent collectors, the couple enjoy longstanding friendships with Wang Shixiang, Qigong and many modern Chinese painters, and have received numerous works as personal gifts. We at China Guardian (HK) are honoured to be entrusted by the Kinoshitas to offer a number of paintings by renowned modern Chinese painters in celebration of our fifth anniversary in Hong Kong. Highlights include Fu Baoshi’s Waterfall in Mountain, an outstanding work from a series that documents the artist’s journey to the northeast in the 1960s; Pan Tianshou’s Chrysanthemum and Wine, a common festive subject that Pan painted with refined simplicity in 1959 in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the People’s Republic of China.
Fine Chinese Classical Paintings and Calligraphy
This season we will present over 100 meticulously selected pieces including works from legendary collections with impeccable provenance. Highlights include Rats and Vegetables that come to life in Qian Xuan’s vivid still-life documented in Shiqu baoji chubian (“The Precious Collection of the Stone Canal Pavilion”). We are also thrilled to offer over 20 works from the collection of the Young Marchal Chang Hsueh Liang, ranging from magnificent long scrolls to charming fan paintings. Among them is Landscape by late-Ming scholar Yang Wencong (1596-1646) that reflects the artist’s proud and rebellious sentiments felt on his return to the south in 1637. Once in the collections of Wang Shiyuan (1877-1935?), esteemed collector in the late-Qing dynasty, renowned art expert Han Shenxian (1897-1962) and eventually Chang Hsueh Liang, this gem of superb provenance and mint condition represents a rare collecting opportunity not to be missed. Other outstanding pieces include Landscape After Rain by Wen Zhengming, an elegant work once in the collection of Zhang Qun; Landscape by Dong Bangda painted refreshing light colours, as well as a number of fan paintings mounted on beautifully crafted skeletons. Offering not only rare and superlative works but also valuable insight into the Young Marshal’s impressive collection and artistic taste, the upcoming sale promises to be a great occasion for discerning collectors.
Yang Wencong
VERDANT MOUNTAINS
Handscroll; ink on satin
Literature: Refer to Chinese text
Dong Bangda
LANDSCAPES
Album of eight leaves; ink and colour on paper
35 × 43 cm each
Wen Zhengming
LANDSCAPE AFTER RAIN
Hanging scroll; ink and colour on paper
129 × 46.5 cm
Qian Xuan (ATT.)
STILL LIFE SKETCH
Handscroll; ink and colour on silk
Literature: Refer to Chinese text
畫心 Image 26.5 × 195 cm
題跋 Colophon 26.5 × 121 cm
Li Jiafu, Ye Zhi
LANDSCAPES
Album of twelve leaves
ink and colour on paper
32 × 40 cm each
Zhou Chen
LISTENING TO THE RUNNING STREAMS
Album of twelve leaves
ink and colour on paper
15.8 × 47.5 cm each
Fu Baoshi
WATERFALL IN MOUNTAIN
Hanging scroll; ink and colour on paper
78 × 123 cm
Pan Tianshou
CHRYSANTHEMUM AND WINE
Hanging scroll; ink and colour on paper
65 × 45.5 cm
Li Keran
SAILING THROUGH THE AUTUMN RIVER
Mounted for framing; ink and colour on paper
畫 Image 67 × 46.5 cm
詩(shī)堂 Colophon 30 × 115 cm
Fu Baoshi
LANDSCAPE AFTER
MAO’S POEM
Hanging scroll; ink and colour on paper
With a Purchase Invoice from Shanghai
Friendship Store, November 1981
73 × 50.5 cm
Zhang Daqian
A Timely Summer Rain
Mounted for framing; ink on paper
68.5 × 134cm
Zhang Daqian
VALLEY AND CLOUDY PEAKS
Hanging scroll; ink and colour on paper
Publication refer to Chinese text
Titleslip by Zeng Keduan
141 × 74.3 cm
Qi Baishi
GUANYIN
Mounted for framing; ink and colour on paper
Provenance: Refer to Chinese text.
108 × 39.5 cm
Qi Baishi
LONGEVITY
Hanging scroll; ink and colour on paper
Provenance: From Mr. Nikola Milicevic (1915-2004), the first diplomat of Yugoslavia in China.
100 × 34.5 cm
Qi Baishi
FLOWERS AND BEES
Mounted for framing; ink and colour on paper
96 × 40.5 cm
Pu Ru
TWO BEAUTIES
Hanging scroll; ink on paper
101 × 32 cm
Zhang Daqian
LADY
Hanging scroll; ink and colour on paper
129 × 44 cm
Deng Fen
FOUR PAINTINGS OF LADY
Mounted for framing; ink and colour on paper
63 × 37 cm each
Huang Binhong
LANDSCAPE OF HUANGSHAN MOUNTAI
Hanging scroll; ink and colour on paper
138 × 69 cm
Huang Binhong
POEMS IN RUNNING SCRIPT
Handscroll; ink on paper
30 × 115 cm
Lin Fengmian
CABIN AND WOODS
Mounted for framing; ink and colour on paper
51 × 65 cm
Guan Liang
SAILING HOME ON LI RIVER
Hanging scroll; ink and colour on paper
67 × 46 cm