Sotheby’s Hong Kong will hold its sale of Fine Chinese Paintings on October 5. This will be a closely watched category as it performed extremely well in the Spring (better than contemporary art), supported by the avid buying of Chinese collectors. One of the sale highlight is this Fu Baoshi’s Court Ladies. While the painting offers no backgrounds, the two ladies are delineated with the subtlest of details, such as their coiffed hair and a musical instrument rendered in light-coloured ink washes. The demure look of both damsels, typical of Tang Dynasty women, complements the depiction of their robes and waist sashes.