Zao Wou-Ki (Zhao Wuji)

Jan Krugier Gallery (New York) label affixed to the reverse 

Jan Krugier Gallery, New York 

New York, Jan Krugier Gallery, Zao Wou-Ki: Encres de Chines 1982-1996 A Tribute to Pierre Matisse, 1996, plate 4

This work is overall in very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Emptiness and Silence

Even when xuan paper has been painted in ink, the white reserved spaces remain visible on it. These unintentional spaces are what enliven the work. Their "emptiness" is indispensable for harmony in the universe, no matter where one goes.
- Zao Wou-ki

In 1981, Zao Wou-ki mounted a solo exhibition for the first time at the premier venue of the Galeries nationales du Grand Palais in Paris. In 1983, he mounted another solo exhibition at his alma mater in Hangzhou on the invitation of Chinese Ministry of Culture, and later at the Museum of History in Taipei. These exhibitions in the early 1980's earned him widespread renown in Asia, and his travels throughout the region also brought him much artistic inspiration. Eastern philosophy and ideals about landscape became increasingly prominent in his work. Before this, Zao had painted with conscientious planning and conception, and afterwards he achieved complete relaxation in technique and mood. His ink paintings from this period are closer to the literati tradition. Infused with the modernism of Western abstraction, these works tend to have subdued colours and decentered compositions. They manifest the Sublime's aesthetic qualities of emptiness and silence, at once the ideal landscapes of Chinese literati's imagination and the ultimate expressions of modern painting.