Zao Wou-Ki (Zhao Wuji)

signed in pinyin and Chinese (lower right); signed in pinyin and titled 27.8.91 (reverse)
Executed in 1991

Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
Private Asian Collection

Shanghai, Shanghai Art Museum, Celebrate the Return of Hong Kong After 100 Years. The Chinese Roots. Works by Mainland and Overseas Chinese Artist, 1997

Celebrate the Return of Hong Kong After 100 Years. The Chinese Roots. Works by Mainland and Overseas Chinese Artist, Shanghai, 1997, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai Art Museum & Alisan Fine Arts

Aside from a minor loss to the paint at the lower left edge, this work is in good visual condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In 1974, Zao Wou-ki returned to ink painting, deriving inspiration from the spatial aesthetics in Chinese landscape painting and the theory that man is an integral part of nature.  Completed in 1991, Abstract Landscape 27.08.91 is a landscape of ethereal beauty. Zao's bold composition leaves two-thirds of the canvas filled with only a soft tonal colour, creating a spatial void.  This area does not function in the same way as the intentional blank spaces seen in traditional ink paintings; rather, Zao has used a multitude of light colours such as light greens, pinks, pale yellows and purples, lending the canvas a calm and gentle lustre. When gazing at the directions of the brushstrokes, the viewer can almost feel the breath of a light breeze emanating from the canvas, calling on the observer's imagination of a vast world.