Christie’s Hong Kong Fall sales of Fine Chinese Classical Paintings and Calligraphy will take place on Nov 30 and will feature significan works by artists spanning both Ming and Qing Dynasty (15th-19th century). The highlight is an important work with impeccable provenance by one of Qing Dynasty’s most influential painter, Bada Shanren. Also known as Zhu Da, he was a prince of the Ming dynasty who became a monk under Qing’s rule. Zhu Da later abandoned his monastic life and developed a career as a professional painter, adopting a series of descriptive pseudonyms, most notably Bada Shanren by which he is most often known today. His paintings feature sharp brush strokes which are attributed to the sideways manner by which he held his brush. Leading the season’s offerings is Pine and Lingzhi in his signature slanting brushstrokes. There is also a piece by Hua Yan (1682-1756), one of the most important members of the "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou" who was renowned for his innovative mixture of meticulous method and freestyle brushwork. Although famous for his flower and bird paintings, his landscapes (PHOTO) also demonstrate his masterful brushwork. This sale will present Autumn Stroll, a work in which the artist’s strong, spirited strokes depicting the rich texture of the mountains and rocks contrast with the relaxed expressions of the scene’s chatting literati.
