Zao Wou-Ki, 5.11.64, 1964, oil on canvas, sold at Poly Auction Hong Kong

Zao Wou-Ki (Chinese/French, 1921–2013) has said, “I began working in oils in 1935, but it wasn’t until 1964—a full thirty years—that I truly understood the freest way to paint in oils.” 1964 was a time of peak maturity in Zao’s creative career. In his innovative work, 5.11.64, Zao created a highly unusual composition using liubai, a technique in which large areas of the canvas are left blank, and which emphasized the artist’s achievements in spatial awareness. When considered in relation to painterly traditions in both the East and West, Zao’s color, formal elements, and structuring of space created new breakthroughs and possibilities, even as they preserved and carried those traditions forward. Here, Zao can truly be said to be bridging past and future in both his creative concept and technique. In this sense, 5.11.64 can be regarded as an important work, representative of an important creative thread that runs throughout Zao’s art.

Liu Ye, Composition of red, yellow, and blue, 1997, oil on canvas, sold at Poly Auction Hong Kong

Composition of red, yellow, and blue by Liu Ye (Chinese, b.1964) is a work from the artist’s early career, completed after his return to China from Germany. Created in 1997, it was exhibited in Liu’s first solo exhibition in China. This painting represents the epitome of Liu’s creative work in Germany, and hints at the innovation associated with his later career. It serves the purpose of both summarizing and inheriting the past while also passing it on. This painting has resurfaced—a rare occurrence for this artwork—as part of Poly Auction Hong Kong’s Chinese Modern and Contemporary Art sale.

Fu Baoshi, Returning home amid rain, 1944, ink and color on paper, on hanging scroll, sold at Poly Auction Hong Kong

Fu Baoshi (Chinese, 1904–1965) started painting rainy landscapes in the 1940s, inspired by the climate of the Sichuan Mountains. Fu is known as “the master of rainy landscape.” When the artist lived in refuge in the western suburb of Jingangpo, in Chongqing, he always encountered rain on his way home. Whenever there was rain, the mountain was surrounded by a haze of mist. This scenery inspired the artist to paint with ink, gradually evolving his style. Since then, Fu has continued to render this scenery in his paintings, whether it is Sichuan’s stormy weather or the Southern drizzle.

Zhang Daqian, Bodhisattava, ink and color on paper, on hanging scroll, sold at Poly Auction Hong Kong

Zhang Daqian (Chinese, 1899–1983) was a highly successful Figurative artist, whose works were acclaimed as “Zhang Meiren” (Beauties by Zhang). His portraits of women, painted during his early career, followed in the style of traditional artists such as Fei Danxu (Chinese, 1802–1850). This style is characterized by soft, delicate portrayals of wistful beauties and court ladies. In 1937, when Japanese forces occupied Beijing, Zhang was forced to flee to Sichuan. In the 1940s, he traveled to Dunhuang, an important landmark on the Silk Road, and the location of the famous Mogao Grotto murals. He spent two years studying the murals of the Wei, Jin, and Tang dynasties, which encouraged him to make a fundamental shift in his own style: from the commonly accepted wistfulness of ladies to graceful, robust, and handsome depictions. The murals from Dunhuang are known for their emphasis on the extravagant yet exquisite hues of mineral blue, mineral green, and cinnabar. Zhang used these hues as well, and thus imbued his beauties with a rhythmic and energetic presence.