Tuesday, February 25, 2014

A POT OF CHRYSANTHEMUMS FOR RM 17 MILLION

KEE@FSWMAG.COM
FOR RM 17 MILLION, YOU CAN BUY MILLIONS OF POTS OF CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND ALSO THE ENTIRE FARM, NURSERY AND GARDEN TO GROW MORE OF THEM! 

But this is no ordinary potted chrysanthemums and it is not even a plant but a painting. And not by some half-baked hack but fully cooked artist named Sanyu, a modern Chinese painter. Nowhere near Vincent Van Gogh as he is not universally famous nor spoken in the same breath as Picasso or Monet or even Manet but this precious, seminal work is targeted at the Chinese market so it should sell well on 5 April! 

SOTHEBY’S HONG KONG TO PRESENT

POTTED CHRYSANTHEMUMS

A Museum-Quality Large-Format Masterpiece
By Modern Chinese Artist Sanyu Circa 1950s
At Modern And Contemporary Asian Art – Evening Sale
On 5 April 2014

- A Painting Chosen By The Artist For An Exhibition In France In 1958 
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- Previously Unrecorded Appearing For The First Time On the Market
In Over Half A Century 
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- Expected To Fetch In Excess Of RM 17 million


Sanyu (1901 – 1966) Potted Chrysanthemums
Circa 1950s, Oil on Masonite, 130.3 x 74.5 cm
Expected to fetch in excess of RM 17 million
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Sotheby’s Hong Kong will present Potted Chrysanthemums, a seminal 1950s piece by modern Chinese master Sanyu (1901 – 1966), at its Modern and Contemporary Asian Art sale on 5 April 2014.

This large-format 130.3 x 74.5 cm museum-quality masterpiece belongs to Sanyu’s celebrated Potted Flower Series, and was especially chosen by the artist to participate in the Jansonne Triennial Art Exhibition in France in 1958.  

The majestic Potted Chrysanthemums boasts a rich composition on masonite, and only the prestigious Sanyu collection from the National Museum of History in Taiwan has a group of works of comparable quality by the artist.

Compared with its sister painting of the same English title, which sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in October 2012, the present Potted Chrysanthemums displays an even more nuanced and graceful splendour although they share a similar creative approach.  

Sanyu’s oil paintings are highly prized among collectors for their rarity.  Appearing on the market for the first time since its exhibition appearance over half a century ago, Potted Chrysanthemums is expected to realise in excess of RM 17 million.


Sylvie Chen, Head of 20th Century Chinese Art Department, said: “This Spring, Sotheby’s is very privileged to bring to the market a majestic, museum-quality still life of Potted Chrysanthemums by Sanyu which was last seen by the art world in France in 1958 and is causing tremendous excitement.  

The work is more than twice the size of its sister painting of the same English title which was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in October 2012 for RM 13 million.  The debut appearance of the present Potted Chrysanthemums on the market after half a century at the upcoming Modern and Contemporary Asian Art – Evening Sale presents an unprecedented opportunity for collectors to acquire an important Sanyu work, while offering a glimpse into the history of the artist’s rarely known life in France.”



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