RELEASE | Masterstrokes of a 20th Century Legend: Christie’s to Offer a Series of Exceptional Paintings by Zhang Daqian
Masterstrokes of a 20th Century Legend
Christie’s to Offer a Series of Exceptional Paintings by Zhang Daqian
Hong Kong – From 30 November to 1 December 2015, a group of masterworks by Zhang Daqian, one of the most prodigious Chinese 20th century artists, will be offered at auction at Christie’s Hong Kong.
Consigned from several distinguished collections, the rich selection of works beautifully represents a cross section of the artist’s highly revered body of work with a special highlight on his splashed ink series.
Zhang Daqian's splashed ink works are a culmination of his life-long dedication and represent the pinnacle of his career, rich with the accumulated skill and experience from his travels around the globe and shaped heavily by his continuous striving for re-invention and greatness. Abstract in nature (these works are clearly influenced by the West), they harkening back to his cultural roots and Chinese heritage. This harmony is beautifully represented in the amalgamation of the uncontrollable and controllable – the former being the (eventual) distribution and absorption of ink (intensity and spread), and the latter being the artist’s ability to transform them into tangible mountains, hills, waterfalls.
Ben Kong, International Specialist, Head of Chinese of Paintings, commented: ‘Without a doubt Zhang Daqian was a leading figure in Modern Chinese painting. His astonishing oeuvre is a distillation through the history of Chinese painting, achieved from unabating and obsessive rigour. In modern art he stands out for his innovations with his splashed ink technique, displaying magnificent landscapes of placid refinement and natural grace, while in traditional painting he is immortalised as both a major collector and a supremely skilled practitioner.’