Lot 21
  • 21

ZAO WOU-KI | 5.6.66

Estimate
500,000 - 700,000 EUR
bidding is closed

Description

  • Zao Wou-Ki
  • 5.6.66
  • signed, signed in Chinese; signed, titled on the reverse 
  • oil on canvas
  • 46 x 55 cm; 18 1/8 x 21 5/8 in.
  • Executed in 1966.

Provenance

Galerie de France, Paris
Private Collection, Paris (acquired in 1967)
Thence by descent to the present owner 

Exhibited

Paris, Galerie de France, Zao Wou-Ki, Peintures et Aquarelles, 1967; catalogue, np. 

Condition

The colours are fairly accurate in the printed catalogue illustration however the overall tonality is softer in the original work. Also, it does not accurately convey the purple undertones in the center of the composition. The work has been inspected framed. Under Ultra Violet Light inspection there is no evidence of restoration. This work is 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."

Catalogue Note

There is a unity in the composition of Zao Wou-Ki's work that makes it more than formal art. Because of the magnitude of his spaces and the echoes between the different parts of the paintings, our eye never gets bored, as if his shapes and colors followed the stream of thoughts that spurts at every glance, anticipating its flux and reflux. These qualities are probably what relates Zao Wou-Ki's painting to music composition, which requests the listener's attention without brutality, and interrupts daydream only to follow a forever changing path.

The authenticity of this work has been confirmed by the Fondation Zao Wou-Ki. The work will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné currently being prepared by Françoise Marquet and Yann Hendgen. It is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.