Modern Chinese Paintings to be Auctioned in HKImportant modern and contemporary Chinese brush paintings, including works by Chinese master painter Zhang Daqian, will be sold at Christie's Hong Kong Spring Auctions on April 30, 2000, according to the auctioneer Thursday.The auctions will also present some 300 lots of the finest classical paintings by Chinese masters from 11th to 18th century as well as exceptional works from the most celebrated contemporary Chinese oil painters. The highlight in Zhang Daqian's collection is "Drunken Dance," an exquisite hanging scroll which depicts six drunken men dancing and singing with an estimated price of 1.8 million to 2 million HK dollars (230,769 to 256,410 US dollars). A masterpiece by Zhang offered in the sale is "Mountain on a Spring Morning," a scroll of splashing ink and color on paper, which was painted when Zhang was living in the United States. The work is estimated to be sold at 3.5 million to 4.5 million HK dollars (448,718 to 576,923 US dollars). In the sale of classical Chinese paintings and calligraphy, a very important piece is a hand scroll of calligraphy by Sima Guang (1019-1086), a scholar and official in the Northern Song Dynasty. Sima Guang, also a well-known historian, saw to completion "Zi Zhi Tong Jian," which records the Chinese history from 403 B.C. to the Northern Song. The scroll offered is a Preface, or a record of a gathering of 12 retired officials who were all over 70 years of age in 1082. As there are only three other known pieces by Sima Guang, the scroll will undoubtedly generate enormous interest from the public, says Christie's. In addition, Christie's will bring some 42 pieces of works of Chinese oil paintings, including works by renowned artist Chen Yifei, at the Spring Auctions. |
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