Watercolour  on paper

38 × 28.5 cm. 15 × 11 1/4 in.

Signed in Chinese and English, dated on bottom right
PROVENANCE
31  May  2015,  Christie’s Hong Kong Spring Auction, Lot 440
Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above

Note: This work will be included in the artist’s forthcoming catalogue  raisonné  prepared by Françoise  Marquet  and Yann Hendgen (Information provided by Foundation  Zao  Wou-Ki)

Mist Veils, Rain Cascades, Wind Serenades
Zao Wou-Ki: The Fairy Land of Dreams

Zao Wou-Ki’s artistic journey underwent significant transformations and breakthroughs through several stages. Starting from the semi-figurative in the early 1950s, he entered the oracle bone script period in 1954 and fully embraced abstraction by 1958, using only colour and lines to showcase the world as he saw and felt it. Entering the 1980s marked the pinnacle of his creative achievements. In 1981, Zao Wou-Ki reconnected with the renowned traditional Chinese painter Zhang Daqian in Taipei. Daqian’s splashed-ink techniques in his later years inspired Zao Wou-Ki, leading the artist to a resurgence in traditional techniques. In 1985, Zao Wou-Ki was invited by the Chinese authorities to lecture at the Hangzhou Art Academy, solidifying his master status. The watercolour piece Sans Titre from 1986 directly points to his inner wonderland of dreams, using highly fluid watercolours to depict imagery resembling algae in flowing water or mist-shrouded mountains and rocks. The painting is imbued with the ethereal atmosphere of traditional Chinese landscape painting, reflecting the artist’s ultimate aesthetic vision.

The Predecessor to the Monumental Triptych 1987-1988

In 1987, Zao Wou-Ki created his lifelong monumental triptych, 1987-1988, with a predominant palette of ethereal azure. The artwork transitions from deep, tranquil navy to mysterious and moist indigo. Throughout, the artist uses varying shades of Prussian blue, complemented by soft yellows, browns, and coffee colours. The freely expressive brushstrokes create a hazy and ethereal ambience, while the densely compacted black strokes in the lower centre build visual tension on the blank canvas. The layered application of blue intensifies the depth of spatial shadows, extending outward to create an expansive posture. Amidst the composed colour distribution, complex emotional tension is subtly revealed.

Boundless Sky, Winds Ascend

Sans Titre combines Western media with Eastern aesthetic viewpoints, striving for expressive colour while capturing the artistic beauty within. The artist seeks to recreate the dream space within his mind. Zao Wou-Ki incorporates the spirit of Chinese landscape painting: the lower part blends ink tones to depict form and essence, while the upper part features vast mist and clouds, with the heavens and earth in harmonious ascent. Examining its charm, the spirit flows through every stroke and splash, constructing a poetic space within the vast universe. The artistic rendering, through various brushstrokes, invokes a sense of wonder and admiration for the marvellous craftsmanship of nature, allowing one to wander freely in the boundless expanse of the world.

Price estimate:
HKD: 600,000 – 800,000
USD: 76,600 - 102,200

Auction Result:
HKD: 900,000