This Spring, Sotheby’s Hong Kong will present “Hidden Treasures from the Liu Hankun Family Collection”. Amassed by Liu Hankun over the years, the eldest son of modern textile industry tycoon Liu Guojun, the collection is now being publicly displayed for the first time and the proceeds from this auction will be dedicated entirely to charitable purposes. The major highlight of this sale is Zhang Daqian’s “Hermit in Verdant Forest”. Created in 1947, this towering masterpiece exudes grandeur and captivates with its unique composition. With numerous majestic trees reaching skyward, a serene scholar sits beside a qin, immersed in the beauty of a cascading waterfall and gentle breeze.
The painting reflects the artist's longing for a secluded existence. Adopting the brushwork of Dong Yuan to illustrate the distinct charm of Sichuan landscapes, this work represents the epitome of Zhang Daqian's meticulous blue and green landscape painting. In May 1947, this artwork took the spotlight as exhibit no.1 in the "Exhibition of Recent Works by Zhang Daqian" in Shanghai. It has then been in the hands of the Liu Hankun Family for over seventy years, still maintaining its original mounting in excellent condition.
