WANG HUI (1632-1717), "Majestic Snowscape After Li Cheng" (919-967)
Hong Kong – Huang Binhong's (1865-1955) "Along the Jialing River" sold for HK$3,940,000, almost four times its lower estimate of HK$1,000,000-2,000,000, at Bonhams Fine Chinese Paintings Sale on 3 April.
The sale achieved a total of HK$46,269,375 with keen interest in works from private collections never before offered at public auction. These included The Zhen Shang Zhai Classical Chinese Paintings Collection from a European private collector; classical and modern paintings from a private British collector, and works from the Kaikodo Gallery in New York.
Strong bidding came from clients from 10 countries – in the saleroom, by phone and online – with many prized works surpassing their high estimates. Iris Miao, Senior International Consultant of Chinese Paintings at Bonhams commented: "The appetite among bidders shows the market is hungry for high quality works with sound provenance, which Bonhams is dedicated to presenting."
The sale opened with the single-owner "Zhen Shang Zhai Classical Chinese Paintings Collection." Horse and Groom by an anonymous artist from 15th-16th Century reached HK$1,250,000 against an estimate of HK$150,000-200,000, and Lan Ying's (1585-1664) Strolling Amongst Autumn Mountains sold for HK$3,820,000 (estimate, HK$2,500,000-3,500,000).
Works from the main Fine Chinese Paintings sale included:
- Two pieces by Lin Fengmian. Vases of Flowers, which was once owned by the famous Suzhou doctor Chen Mingzhai, sold for HK$3,100,000(estimate, HK$2,500,000-3,500,000); and, Coastal Scene for HK$1,750,000 (estimate, HK$600,000-800,000).
- Fu Baoshi's The Xiling Gorge sold for HK$2,620,000 (estimate, HK$1,500,000-2,500,000); and, Wu Changshuo's (1844-1927) Gourd and Chrysanthemums for HK$2,375,000 (estimate, HK$600,000-800,000). Both pieces came from a private British collection of classical and modern paintings
- A rare ancient triptych, Water and Moon Guanyin and a pair of Ducks and Reeds, previously attributed to Zhang Yuehu (late 13th century) and Huichong (965-1017), which was part of the highly-regarded Japanese collection of Tamura Ichiro sold for HK$1,500,000 (estimate, HKD1,200,000-1,800,000)
- Fu Baoshi's Visiting the Red Cliff at Night sold for HK$1,375,000(estimate, HK$1,000,000-2,000,000)
- Qi Baishi's Sunset made HK$ 1,250,000 (estimate, HK$1,000,000-1,800,000)
- Two pieces by Zhang Daqian(Chang Dai-Chien). Album of Flowers (album of 10 leaves) sold for HK$1,000,000 (estimate, HK$800,000-1,200,000); and a folding fan entitled Landscapes After Song and Yuan masters sold for HK$937,500 (estimate, HK$500,000-700,000)
