Beijing Visitor Guide

On 2 December 2020, Christie's Hong Kong held three evening sales - Modern and Contemporary Art, Sanyu: Goldfish, and the first leg of the 20th Century: Hong Kong to New York sale. The sales realised a combined total of HK$1,419,235,000 / US$183,951,985. 

Jacky Ho, Head of Evening Sale commented, "This evening represents a landmark moment both for Christie's Asia as well as the art world, having achieved our highest ever Evening Sale total in Asia by a significant margin, and broken numerous world auction records for Modern and Contemporary artists globally. 

With the 20th Century: Hong Kong to New York relay-style auction, we once again demonstrated our capacity for close global collaboration and our leadership in employing cutting edge technology, to bring the very best of Modern and Contemporary art to collectors around the world." 

Christie's Hong Kong

An extraordinary moment of the evening was the setting of a new record for Zhang Xiaogang with Bloodline: Big Family No. 2 realising HK$98,035,000 / US$12,706,657, a new price benchmark for Chinese Contemporary Art. 

Christie's Hong Kong

Goldfish (left) realised HK$170,170,000 / US$22,056,326, establishing a record for a painting depicting an animal subject by the artist. This follows the world auction record for the artist set by Five Nudes and also the record for any still life painting set by White Chrysanthemum in a Blue and White Jardiniere in November 2019 and July 2020 respectively. Another highlight of the evening was Pink Chrysanthemums in a Basket (right), which achieved a strong price of HK$138,110,000 / US$17,900,917, continuing to demonstrate Christie's market leadership and unparalleled expertise in offering the greatest works by Sanyu at auction. 

Works by Modern artists formed a key component of the sales, achieving a combined total above their high estimates. In addition to the exceptional performance of Sanyu works on offer, other highlights of the evening were Nu sur un lit, avec un chien (Reclining Nude with A Small Dog) by Leonard Tsuguharu Foujita (left), which achieved HK$37,450,000 / US$4,854,025, almost four times over its pre-sale low estimate, and Manners of the Hometown of Lu Xun by Wu Guanzhong (right), which realised HK$21,850,000 / US$2,832,055, and Tiangge (Market Scene) by Vicente Silva Manansala, which set a new auction record for the artist. 

A further backbone of the sales was the exceptionally strong offering of leading post-war abstract works by international masters. 15.01.82 – Triptyque by Zao Wou-ki achieved HK$94,600,000 / US$12,261,435 and La Forêt Blanche I (The White Forest I) by Chu Teh-Chun, realised HK$42,250,000 / US$5,476,169. Abstract highlights from the Hong Kong to New York relay sale were Chigakusei Tekkyoshi by Kazuo Shiraga, which sold for HK$23,050,000 / US$2,987,591, and Souvenir de la maison d'Autriche (Remembering the House of Austria) by Georges Mathieu, which achieved a new auction record for the artist at HK$17,290,000 / US$2,241,017. 

All Western artworks offered across the sales were sold, with the sale total exceeding pre-sale high estimates. Leading the group was the magnificent Elevator by Dana Schutz (middle), which realised HK$50,050,000 / US$6,487,154. The superb work Still Life by Nicolas Party (right) achieved HK$10,450,000 / US$1,354,461, and the sensational Baba Diop by Amoako Boafo (left) realised HK$8,890,000 / US$1,152,264. Other highlights by leading contemporary artists such as Eddie Martinez, Cecily Brown, Shara Hughes, and Mary Corse also performed exceptionally well. 

NEW RECORD FOR VICENTE SILVA MANANSALA SOUTHEAST ASIAN WORKS 100% SOLD

 

The selection of artworks by Southeast Asian artists performed very strongly, with the section exceeding its pre-sale high estimate. Leading the group of works by Southeast Asian artists was Tiangge (Market Scene) by Vicente Silva Manansala, which realised HK$7,450,000 / US$965,620 and set a new auction record.