S otheby's In Confidence: Selected Masterpieces brings together a carefully curated assemblage of masterworks sure to excite our most discerning collectors.
In Confidence will be held as a silent auction, a hybrid sale format which combines the thrill and competition of a live auction with the discretion of a private sale. Bidding will take place by written absentee bid only.
In Confidence: Selected Masterpieces from an Innovative New Auction
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Inaugurating this silent auction are three highly distinguished works by three of the most prominent and acclaimed Asian Contemporary artists of our generation: a historical early Zhang Xiaogang Bloodline – Big Family painting, an iconic 1960 Yayoi Kusama red Infinity Net, and a classic Yoshitomo Nara portrait.
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Created in 1998, Ice Candy Lollipop is a classical Nara archetype featuring all the hallmarks of Nara’s pivotal late-1990s lexicon: refined surface work, a softened palette, and a concise, reductive yet universally resonant aesthetic.
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Created in 1993, Zhang Xiaogang’s Bloodline – Big Family: No. 2 is the second of the two earliest and most important works from the artist’s seminal and era-defining Bloodline – Big Family series.
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Fresh to the market, Untitled from 1960 is an exquisitely captivating example of Yayoi Kusama’s early New York period Infinity Nets. Examples from the series are held in renowned museum collections such as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and the Art Institute of Chicago.
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Between the 1970s and 1990s, Zao Wou-Ki created a total of 13 sets of fine-sized triptychs suitable for private collection. For decades, this superb triptych series has rarely appeared on the international auction scene, and 16.01.80 is the largest work in the series.
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In this painting, Zao gently rendered the canvas with the dominant colour of ocean blue, showcasing his signature colour philosophy of the 1980s. Formerly belonged to French abstract artist Olivier Debré, the painting was exhibited at the artist’s major retrospective in Paris at the Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume in 2003.
Since the 1980s, Zao began to actively trace back his own artistic roots and created a series of homage paintings including the symbolic works Hommage à Henri Matisse I (1986, Collection of Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris) and Hommage à Henri Matisse II (1993).
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01.05.92 serves as an important bridge between these two works, altogether forming a magnificent abstract trilogy. Based on the masterpiece of Fauvism master Matisse’s Porte-fenêtre à Collioure, 01.05.92 unfolds the abstract space of the void and combines the dazzling blue and pink tones, orchestrating a song of colours.
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A gift dedicated to the parents of a close friend of the artist, notable scholar Tai Jingnong, Lush Mountains in Misty Gleam was created in 1967 when Zhang Daqian reached the pinnacle of his splashed-ink-and-colour style. Zhang’s innovative approach redefines Chinese landscape paintings, creating a magnificent and breath-taking scene that captivates the viewer’s gaze.
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Created in 1967, this work demonstrates the pinnacle of the artist’s splash-colour period. Executed on a large gold paper, it combines aspects of an abstract approach with traditional ink painting techniques to depict a verdant, steep mountainside.
Lotus has always been a favouriate subject matter in Zhang Daqian’s paintings. In Lotus in the Wind, the artist took advantage of its exceptional width and dimension, offering a panoramic view of the summer lotus pond.
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Zhang depicted intertwining leaf clusters and blossoming lotus flowers in bold and gestural brushstrokes, portraying a lush lotus pond in the breezy late summer days. The rich layers of ink and colours create a watery effect on the exceptionally large canvas, giving the viewer a sumptuous experience of nature’s innate beauty.
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This sublime vase, covered in a bluish-green glaze, is a powerful legacy of the Qianlong period. The striking decoration of two soaring dragons expresses a poignant act of filial piety by the Qianlong Emperor to his father.
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This exceptional jade teapot and cover, created in the Imperial Palace Workshops in the late 18th century, is intricately carved from pristine white stone of superlative quality and is perhaps the most flawless of any jade teapot in private hands.
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Nature’s wonderous creations take form as world class gems, undergoing meticulous and masterful craftsmanship, resulting in a curation of remarkable jewels. Fine quality jadeite displaying imperial green colour, with quintessential translucency meets two lots of coloured diamonds with individual character; one striking a charming balance of colour exuding an alluring charisma and another perfectly matching pair with exceptionally noticeable vivacity. Celebrating gems treasured from the East and the West are three phenomenal jewels distinguished and rare, to be prized by the most sophisticated of connoisseurs.
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This remarkable jadeite bead necklace is composed of 39 beads with the largest measuring at a notable size of approximately 13.65mm, each of unparalleled vibrant green colour elevated by a lucid glow of translucency from deep within.
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This striking 10.26 carat fancy deep orangy pink diamond and diamond ring displays a unique colour which incites a precious charm. The inimitable hue evokes a sense of tranquillity upon viewing, reminding one of a soothing sunset’s reflection upon a crystalline lake.
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This astounding pair of pear-shaped fancy vivid yellow diamond and diamond earrings feature perfectly matching fancy vivid yellow diamonds weighing 15.09 carats each. Cut from the same rough, the pair underwent the intricate skill and craftsmanship of the diamond cutter, bringing out the most remarkable fancy vivid colour.
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15 – 23 May 2020
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