The scroll on which his dragons appear also contains a poem and inscription by the artist, combining poetry, calligraphy, and painting in one. By the time the hammer came down, however, the price had shot up to almost $50m.Ĭhen Rong was celebrated during the Song Dynasty for his depiction of dragons, which were the symbol of the emperor and also represented the powerful force of the Dao. This may account for the woefully inaccurate estimate, which predicted that the scroll would attract a bid of under $2m. Venue & Date: Christie’s, New York, 15 March 2017, Lot 507īorn in 1200, the Chinese painter and politician Chen Rong was little known to western collectors when his Six Dragons appeared at auction in 2017. This 13th-century scroll exceeded all expectations at Christie’s, selling for well over 20 times its estimate Chen Rong, Six Dragons, 13th Century Realized Price: USD 48,967,500 The beautiful thangka sold at Christie’s, Hong Kong in 2014 for the huge sum of $44m.Ĩ. These figures are surrounded by a wealth of symbolic and aesthetic details, all delicately embroidered with the utmost skill. It shows the fierce deity Rakta Yamari, embracing his Vajravetali and standing victoriously atop the body of Yama, the Lord of Death. The woven thangka is from the early Ming dynasty when such articles were sent to Tibetan monasteries and religious and secular leaders as diplomatic gifts. Because of their delicate nature, it is rare for a thangka to survive so long in such pristine condition, making this example one of the world’s greatest textile treasures. Originating in Tibet, thangkas are paintings on a fabric such as cotton or silk, which typically show a Buddhist deity, scene or mandala. Venue & Date: Christie’s, Hong Kong, 26 November 2014, Lot 3001 The ornate silk thangka is remarkably well-preserved for an object of this nature Imperial Embroidered Silk Thangka, 1402-24 Imperial Embroidered Silk Thangka, 1402-24 Realized Price: HKD 348, 440,000 (USD 44m) All of these techniques are found in View from the Peak, a painting of a rugged mountain that sold in 2018 for the equivalent of $41m.ĩ. Pan was even known to use his fingers to add texture to his work. He took the traditional landscape and added smaller details rarely found in earlier paintings, and also chose to depict precipitous terrains rather than smooth-rolling vistas. Pan’s paintings pay homage to the Confucian, Buddhist and Daoist concepts by which earlier Chinese art had always been inspired, but also contain small innovations that make his work utterly unique. Unfortunately, the Cultural Revolution occurred at the peak of Pan’s career: years of public humiliation and renunciations were followed by accusations of spying, after which he faced increased persecution, eventually dying in the hospital in 1971. After completing his formal education, he devoted his life entirely to art, producing many pieces himself and also teaching the subject at a succession of schools and universities. During his school years, he practiced calligraphy, painting and stamp carving, making small creations for his friends and peers. Twentieth-century painter and teacher, Pan Tianshou developed his artistic skills as a boy by copying the illustrations he found in his favorite books. Venue & Date: China Guardian 2018 Autumn Auctions, Lot 355 Pan Tianshou’s View from the Peak epitomizes the painter’s skill with brush and ink Pan Tianshou, View From The Peak, 1963 Realized Price: RMB 287,500,000 (USD 41m) The intimate and beautiful nature of these well-preserved documents ensured a high price when they came up for sale at China Guardian in 2019, with the winning bidder paying over $38m.ġ0. His words, which speak of both melancholy and fraternal affection, are as elegantly written as they are in meaning. The beauty of his writing is manifested in two letters he sent to his brothers around the turn of the 14th century. In addition to his beautiful paintings, which often feature horses, Mengfu practiced calligraphy in a number of styles, exerting a significant influence on the methods used during the Ming and Qing dynasties. His bold brushwork is considered to have caused a revolution in painting that eventually resulted in the modern Chinese landscape. Venue & Date: China Guardian Autumn Auctions 2019, Lot 1381īorn in 1254, Zhao Mengfu was a scholar, painter and calligrapher of the Yuan Dynasty, although he himself was descended from the imperial family of the earlier Song Dynasty. Zhao Mengfu’s letters are as beautiful in meaning as they are in style
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |