Asia Week

First Look: Asia Week’s Exceptional Offerings of Chinese Art and Antiques

New York | September
Launch Slideshow

Returning in September to Sotheby's in New York, Asia Week celebrates the magnificent history of Asian art, and brings with it the finest and rarest treasures for established collectors and new buyers alike. In addition to sales of Important Chinese Art, Fine Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy and Saturday at Sotheby's: Asian Art, Sotheby's is delighted to present two remarkable single-owner collections: Junkunc: Chinese Buddhist Sculpture, and the Tang Hung and Feng Bi-Che Collection of Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy. Preview highlights from these exceptional sales before they go on view next month.

Sale Calendar

Junkunc: Chinese Buddhist Sculpture
12 September | 10:00 AM EST

Important Chinese Art
12 September | 10:30 AM EST & 2:00 PM EST

Tang Hung and Feng Bi-Che Collection of Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy
13 September | 10:00 AM EST

Fine Classical Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy
13 September | 11:30 AM EST

Saturday at Sotheby’s: Asian Art
15 September | 10:00 AM EST & 2:00 PM EST

First Look: Asia Week’s Exceptional Offerings of Chinese Art and Antiques

  • A magnificent painted limestone figure of a bodhisattva, Tang dynasty. Estimate $1,500,000–2,500,000.
    Sotheby’s is honoured to present a selection of Chinese Buddhist sculpture from the Junkunc Collection, comprising almost 1,000 years of early Buddhist stone, lacquer and gilt-bronze sculptures dating from the Northern Wei to Ming dynasties.

    Junkunc: Chinese Buddhist Sculpture | 12 September
    View Auction
    Share
  • A white marble inscribed triad group, Northern Qi dynasty, dated Tianbao tenth year, corresponding to 559. Estimate $300,000–500,000.
    Formed by the esteemed late Chicago collector Stephen Junkunc III (d. 1978), the collection was one of the largest and most important American collections of Chinese art of the 20th century. In addition to this remarkable white marble triad group, highlights include a rare and magnificent painted limestone figure of a standing bodhisattva, and a large and impressive Tang dynasty limestone head.

    Junkunc: Chinese Buddhist Sculpture | 12 September
    View Auction
    Share
  • Yun Shouping, Flowers of Winter and Spring. Estimate $80,000–120,000.
    Tang Hung (1926–2018), courtesy name Chunzhi, was born into a family of painters in Beijing. He studied calligraphy and painting in Song court style under Yu Fei’an and he also once followed Zhang Daqian. After moving to Hong Kong in the early 1960s, he met Fung Bi-Che (1916–2009), who was also a Chinese ink painter who studied after Zhang Daqian. Their remarkable collection, assembled by two artists who share a lineage in Chinese painting. A selling exhibition of Tang Hung’s and Fung Bi-Che’s own works will run concurrently to connect their personal artistic style to the works in this collection.


    The Tang Hung and Fung Bi-Che Collection of Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy | 13 September
    View Auction
    Share
  • Zhang Daqian, Bridge to Mountain Temple Shrouded by Prismatic Clouds in Splashed Color. Estimate $220,000–280,000.
    A precious gift from Zhang Daqian to Tang Hung and Fung Bi-Che, this painting holding the significance of their intimate teacher-student relationship is not only well-kept and treasured in the Tang family, but it was also an important source of inspiration to the two painters’ own works.

    The Tang Hung and Fung Bi-Che Collection of Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy | 13 September
    View Auction
    Share
  • Property from the Estate of Aron and Elizabeth Landauer.
    (Left to right) A “Clair-De-Lune”-glazed dish, Yongzheng mark and period. Estimate $8,000–12,000.

    A Wucai “Month” cup, Kangxi mark and period. Estimate $60,000–80,000.

    A Ppair of fine Famille-Rose “Balsam Pear” bowls, Qianlong seal marks and period. Estimate $60,000–80,000.
    Important Chinese Art features more than 280 lots of fine Chinese ceramics and works of art. Highlights include a rare Tang dynasty sancai-glazed pottery figure of a seated court lady, a large Qianlong mark and period famille-rose “landscape” vase, a rare and fine Jiaqing seal mark and period famille-rose “peach” vase from an important American private collection, a rare and impressive late Shang dynasty bronze zun from a Japanese private collection, Qing porcelain and works of art from the Junkunc Collection, imperial Qing dynasty porcelain from the Estate of Aron and Elizabeth Landauer, and property from the Berkshire Museum, Massachusetts.

    Important Chinese Art | 12 September
    View Auction
    Share
  • An archaic bronze ritual vessel (Zun), late Shang dynasty, Yinxu period. Estimate $650,000–850,000.
    Notable for its crisp decoration that has been remarkably preserved, this zun is an outstanding example of late Shang bronze workmanship. Originally used as ritual wine containers, zun are known from the late Erligang period and grew in popularity during the Shang dynasty.

    Important Chinese Art | 12 September
    View Auction
    Share
  • A rare and important blue and amber-glazed pottery figure of a court lady,
    Tang dynasty. Estimate $500,000–700,000.
    This charming figure offers an invaluable glimpse into the cultural, social and political strength of the Tang dynasty; in particular the enjoyment of power, privilege and autonomy of court women. Such figures were commissioned for royal and aristocratic tombs, with elite families vying to stage the most spectacular funerals. Objects made to accompany the departed, known as mingqi, were paraded through the great metropolitan centers of north China and prominently displayed on platforms before being placed in special niches within the tombs themselves.

    Important Chinese Art | 12 September
    View Auction
    Share
  • Works of Art Sold to Benefit the Berkshire Museum.
    A large blue and white “Dragon” vase, Qing dynasty, 18th / early 19th century. Estimate $30,000–50,000.
    This vase is notable for its grand size, standing significantly taller than other vases of its type, and also for its decoration. Of particular note is the tonality of the cobalt blue and the treatment of the dragons with their bushy manes and elongated toes and claws.

    Important Chinese Art | 12 September
    View Auction
    Share
  • The Ramin Lamsam Collection of Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy.
    Yuyan (Emperor Jiaqing), Poem in Regular Script. Estimate $200,000–300,000.
    The Classical Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy department offers another outstanding group of works with the most impeccable provenance, sourced from private collections worldwide, including those by Dong Qichang, Lan Ying, Wang Yuanqi, Lu Zhi, Emperor Jiaqing, Qi Baishi, Wu Guanzhong, Huang Junbi, Zhang Daqian, Wu Changshuo and many more.

    Fine Classical Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy | 13 September
    View Auction
    Share
  • The Collection of Serendipitous Encounters.
    Song Dynasty Poems and Essay Exceptions in Running Script. Estimate $100,000–200,000.
    This season, Sotheby's will present the Serendipitous Encounters Collection of Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy and Stephen Junkunc III Collection of Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy, two collections of remarkable provenance gathered by two important figures of Chinese paintings. A portion of Stephen Junkunc III Collection of Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy Calligraphy will be offered in our Saturday at Sotheby's sale on 15 September.

    Fine Classical Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy | 13 September
    View Auction
    Share
  • The Carl and Lena Ma Collection Of Chinese Paintings.
    Zhang Daqian, Dancing Lotus. Estimate $220,000–400,000.
    A highly respected pilot, engineer and an accomplished air transportation commerce entrepreneur, Carl, Chi-Hsun, Ma (1925-2006) became a senior executive of the major airline based in Taiwan to oversee its Marketing and North American operations. In this capacity, he met and assisted Zhang Daqian in transporting his paintings to different destinations around the world. In gratitude of their friendship, Zhang Daqian invited Mr. Ma and his family to his studio where, in 1973, he gifted and dedicated the Dancing Lotus to Mr. Ma.

    Fine Classical Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy | 13 September
    View Auction
    Share
/
Close