Monochrome

Sotheby's New York

Sale 9396

Lot 43, Scholar's rock, limestone, 42 inches wide

Monochrome, according to Sotheby's, "is an innovative concept sale.

"Whether formed by nature or produced by man, the subtle tonalities of monochromatic art have long been celebrated within traditional Chinese aesthetics and have since inspired generations of international artists, collectors and aesthetes," it maintained, adding that the auction "will feature both traditional and modern Chinese works united in their shared aesthetic of clean lines and subtle variations in color."

"The sale." it continued," will focus on the purity of color and silhouette in Chinese art and will represent works produced in various media, spanning China’s dynastic history through to the present day. 

Lot 44, "The Rock Remembers," ink on paper, by Liu Dan, 15 1/2 by 14 inches, 2003

Lot 44 is an ink on paper entitled "The Rock Remembers" by Liu Dan (b. 1953).  It was created in 2003 and measures 15 1/2 by 14 inches.  It has an estimate of $80,000 to $100,000.  It sold for $100,000.

Lot 62, Lingbi Scholar's Rock, Qing Dynasty, 21 5/8 inches high

Lot 62 is an impressive black Lingbi scholar's rock from the Qing Dynasty.  It is 21 5/8 inches wide.  It is shaped in the form of a peaked mountain landscape with many crevices.  It has an estimate of $15,000 to $25,000.  It sold for $30,0000.

Lot 7, Celadon vase, Yongzhemg seal mark and period, 11 inches high

Lot 7 is a hexagonal celadon-glazed vase, Youngzheng seal mark and period.  It is 11 inches high.  It has a slightly everted mouthtrim, a pair of tubular lug handles and two thin raised fillets.  It has an estimate of $150,000 to $200,000.  It sold for $706,000.

Lot 77, Chilong brushpot, Qing Dynasty, Kangxi Period, 7 1/4 inches high

Lot 77 is a handsome incised celadon-glased Chilong brushpot from the Qing Dynasty, Kangxi Period.  It is 7 1/4 inches high.  It has an estimate of $40,000 to $60,000.  It sold for $65,000.

Lot 26, a malachite vase, Qing Dynasty, 9 3/4 inches high

Lot 26 is a hollowed-out malachite vase from the Qing Dynasty.  It is 9 3/4 inches high and is from the Richard Rosenblum Collection and was used either as a brushpot or a flower vase.  It has an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000.  It sold for $21,250.

Lot 60, Carved Yaozhou bowl, Northern Song Dynasty, 7 1/4 inches in diameter

Lot 60 is a lovely carved Yaozhou bowl from the Northern Song Dynasty.  It is 7 1/4 inches in diameter and has a central medallion with a duck swimming against stylized waves.  It has an estimate of $40,000 to $60,000.  It failed to sell.

Lot 52, Qingbai "Chilong" bowl, Song Dynasty, 8 1/2 inches in diameter

Lot 52 is a nice Qingbai "Chilong" bowl from the Song Dynasty.  It is 8 1/2 inches in diameter.  It has an estimate of $10,000 to $15,000.  It sold for $17,500.

Lot 2, "Jun" numbered flower pot, Ming Dynasty, 15th Century, 8 1/2 inches in diameter

Lot 2 is a large and rare jun, a numbered flower pot from the Ming Dynasty, 15th Century.  It is 8 1/.2 inches in disameter.  It was exbibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1921.  It has an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000.  It failed to sell.

Lot 3, "Two Poems by Su Shu" by Qiu Zhijie, ink on paper, two hanging scrolls, 26 1/4 inches square each

Lot 3 is a very picturesque calligraphic work by Qiu Zhijie (b. 1969) entitled "Two poems by Su Shi.  It consists of two hanging scrolls, each 26 1/4 inches square.  

Lot 19, "Zen painting," by Lu Shoukun, ink and color on paper, 59 1/16 by 32 1/4 inches, 1972

Lot 19 is a fine, large ink and color on paper by Lu Shoukun (1919-1975) entitled "Zen painting."  It measures 59 1/16 by 32 1/4 inches and was created in 1972.  The catalogue notes that the artist is "recognized as the pioneer of modern ink painting in and is one of the most important figures to have worked outside of China in the 20th Century.  It has an estimate of $40,000 to$60,000.  It sold for $50,000.

Lot 84, "Bamboo," by Lu Shoukun, ink on paper, 37 by 17 5/16 inches

Another impressive ink on paper by Lu Shoukun is Lot 84, "Bamboo."  It measures 37 by 17 5/16 inches.  It has an estimate of $35,000 to $45,000.  It failed to sell.

Lot 50, "Rising Sun," by Lu Shoukun, ink and color on paper, 37 3/8 by 17 3/4 inches

Lot 50 is an another bold work by Lu Shoukun, entitled "Rising Sun."  An ink and color on paper, it measures 37 3/8 by 17 3/4 inches.  It has an estimate of $45,000 to $55,000.  It failed to sell.

Lot 9, "Couplet," ink on paper, by Fung Ming Chip,71 1/2 by 36 7/8 inches

Lot 9 is a strong and impressive ink on paper by Fung Ming Chip (b. 1951).  It measures 71 1/2 by 36 7/8 inches.

The catalogue provides the following commentary:

"One of the defining characteristics of Fung's calligraphic art is his use of water: he writes each character using only water and immediately applies another layer of black ink that is repelled by the wet paper.  This wet on wet layering produces a distinctive composition style for his calligraphy and reveals unusual properties of the ink medium itself."

The lot has an estiamte of $25,000 to  $35,000.  It sold for $22,500.

Lot 63, "Yellow mountains 1," by Zeng Xiaojun," ink on paper, 45 1/2 by 74 1/2 inches, 2014

Lot 63, "Yellow Mountains 1,": is a large ink on paper by Zeng Xiaojun (b. 1964).  It measures 45 1/2 by 74 1/2 inches.  It has an estimate of $100,000 to $150,000.  It sold for $118,750.

Lot 16, "Pseudo Character Landscape Wind Series, Fengbao," by Gu Wenda, ink on paper, 75 1/4 by 69 7/8 inches

Lot 16 is a large ink on paper by Gu Wenda (b. 1955) entitled "Pseudo Character Landscape Wind Series, Fengbao."  It measures 75 1/4 by 69 6/8 inches.  The catalogue notes that "according to the artist, the genesis of the pseudo character can be credited to a slip of the knife while carving a seal, resulting in a false character."  The lot has an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000.  It failed to sell.

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