WEN ZHENGMING (1470-1559) - photo 1

WEN ZHENGMING (1470-1559)

Lot 820
28.05.2022 14:30UTC +08:00
Classic
Starting price
HKD 500 000
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationHong Kong, Hong Kong
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 770788
Lot 820 | WEN ZHENGMING (1470-1559)
Estimate value
HKD 500 000 – 700 000
WEN ZHENGMING (1470-1559)
Running Script Calligraphy
Hanging scroll, ink on paper
132.5 x 29 cm. (52 1⁄8 x 11 3⁄8 in.)
Inscribed and signed, with two seals of the artist
Dated twelfth day, second month, jiyou year of Jiajing period (1549)




Post lot text

Looking into the Past –Paintings and Calligraphy by the Jiangnan Literati of the Ming and Qing DynastiesThe migration of Central Plains culture to the South began after the Six Dynasties. Since Southern Song, the transfer of political power to the South in addition to migration, as well as the commercial development in urban areas had led to a firm establishment of the cultural foundation in Jiangnan. The arts and culture of Jiangnan became increasingly important during the Ming and Qing period, especially for the paintings and calligraphy whose development was shaped by various local-schools, such as the Wu school, the Songjiang school and the Yangzhou school.Literati paintings and calligraphy dominated the painting scene of Jiangnan during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In contrast to the professional painters, the origin of literati painters could be traced back to the Northern Song when Su Shi advocated the ideas that expressing one’s spirit through form should be the essence of painting, and that poetry should embody painting and vice versa.This season, Christie’s Hong Kong is honoured to present a wide range of literati paintings and calligraphy by the Ming and Qing masters, including Wen Zhengming, Xie Shichen, Dong Qichang and Jin Nong. Wen’s calligraphy in various scripts (Lots 820, 821, 824 and 825) represent his versatility and virtuosity. Xie’s Scholarly Gathering till Twilight (Lot 823) is an impromptu pictorial record of a literati gathering coupled with the inscriptions by Wen Zhenming and Wen Jia, etc. The juxtaposition of orthodox calligraphic works and landscapes by Dong Qichang (Lots 822, 826, 827, 830 and 832) and the eccentric Plants (Lot 828) and Qi script calligraphy (Lots 829 and 831) by Jin Nong offers diametrically different styles.According to Wang Xizhi’s Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion: “When future generations look back to my time, it will probably be similar to how I now think of the past.’’ This also applies to collecting paintings and calligraphy and indeed, we should cherish the opportunity of acquiring these literati masterpieces.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
18 Chater Road Central
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Preview
28.05.2022 – 28.05.2022
Phone +85227601766
Fax +852 2760 1767
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@SGASFO3G@
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase
Business hoursBusiness hours
Mo 09:30 – 18:00   
Tu 09:30 – 18:00   
We 09:30 – 18:00   
Th 09:30 – 18:00   
Fr 09:30 – 18:00   
Sa closed
Su closed

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.