NEW YORK, NY.- Christie’s announces Asian Art Week, a series of auctions, viewings, and events, from September 6-13. This season presents nine auctions—six live and three online—featuring over 1,000 lots spanning all epochs and categories of Asian Art from classical Chinese paintings, ceramics, jades, bronzes, and furniture, to impressive Tibetan gilt-bronzes and contemporary Indian painting. Featured this season are two impressive collection sales, Masterpieces of Early Chinese Gold and Silver and Chinese Art from The Art Institute of Chicago, featuring works of art with exceptional provenance.

The week of sales begins with Fine Chinese Paintings (September 10), spanning classical, modern, and contemporary paintings, with highlights including an early work by Zhang Daqian (1899-1983), Hibiscus, dated 1948 ($300,000-500,000). The Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Works of Art sale (September 11) features an array of fine bronzes and sculptures from Gandhara, India, the Himalayas, and Southeast Asia, led by a large and magnificent gilt-bronze figure of Vajrasattva, Tibet, 14th-15th century ($600,000-800,000).

The South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art sale (September 11) is led by Sayed Haider Raza’s monumental La Terre (1977), one of the artist’s most important and largest works (Estimate on request). The sale also includes important early works by the Progressive Artists’ Group such as Francis Newton Souza’s Head in Landscape, executed in 1958 ($250,000-350,000), presented alongside contemporary works from the region, and a special section featuring works donated to Columbia University Press by artists, galleries and collectors to raise funds for their project, The Library of Bengali Literature.

Masterpieces of Early Chinese Gold and Silver (September 12) features over 100 exquisite gold and silver objects formerly in the collection of Dr. Johan Carl Kempe (1884-1967). The sale is led by a very rare and important large parcel-gilt silver bowl, Tang dynasty ($2,000,000-3,000,000). Chinese Art from The Art Institute of Chicago (September 12), spans a live and online sale, and offers impressive ceramics from prominent Chicago collectors, sold to benefit the acquisitions fund.

The week of live auctions concludes with the sale of Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art (September 13), which includes masterworks in various categories, and is led by an exceptionally rare pale greyish-green jade carving of a dragon head, Tang dynasty ($2,500,000-3,500,000); a famille rose mille fleurs lantern vase, Jiaqing iron-red six-character seal and mark of the period ($300,000-500,000); and a magnificent and very rare huanghuali folding horseshoe-back armchair, jiaoyi, 17th century ($1,000,000-1,500,000).

ASIAN ART WEEK | AUCTION OVERVIEW:

Fine Chinese Paintings
10 September | 10am | New York
Christie’s sale of Fine Chinese Paintings features approximately 120 lots of classical, modern, and contemporary ink works. Leading the sale is an early painting by Zhang Daqian (1899-1983), Hibiscus, dated 1948 ($300,000-500,000). Additional highlights of classical painting include Bada Shanren (1626-1705), Bird and Rock ($150,000-200,000), which features the artist’s expressive style and a colophon by Wang Fangyu (1913-1977); and a rare and innovative Cursive Calligraphy by Jinshi (1614-1680). Modern and contemporary ink highlights include Wang Ziwu (B. 1936), Portrait of Cao Xueqin ($10,000-13,000); Ding Fuzhi (1879-1949), Plum Blossoms ($40,000-80,000) from The Irving Collection; and Jia Youfu’s (B. 1942) Herding in the Mountains ($6,400-9,000)

South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art
11 September | 10am | New York
Christie’s sale of South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art showcases a group of important early paintings by members of the Progressive Artists’ Group including Sayed Haider Raza, Francis Newton Souza, Maqbool Fida Husain and Hari Ambadas Gade, as well as important works by George Keyt, Abdur Rahman Chughtai, Zainul Abedin, Shakir Ali and Mohammad Kibria. Alongside significant paintings by Arpita Singh, Jehangir Sabavala, Akbar Padamsee and Bikash Bhattacharjee the sale also includes works by the most sought-after contemporary artists from the region like Zarina, Mrinalini Mukherjee, Jitish Kallat, Muhammad Imran Qureshi and Subodh Gupta. A special section of the auction features works donated to Columbia University Press by artists, galleries and collectors to raise funds for their project, the Library of Bengali Literature.

Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Works of Art
11 September | 2pm | New York
Christie’s sale of Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Works of Art will present almost 120 curated lots featuring an array of fine sculpture from Gandhara, India, the Himalayas, and Southeast Asia. The sale features a fine selection of Indian and Southeast Asian sculpture from the renowned Dorothy and Richard Sherwood Collection; a rare and magnificent group of Himalayan bronzes; Sri Lankan bronze and stone sculpture from am important private collection; a curated selection of fine Indian paintings and picchvais; as well as Southeast Asian stone and bronze sculpture.

Masterpieces of Early Chinese Gold and Silver
12 September | 10am | New York
Masterpieces of Early Chinese Gold and Silver is comprised of over 100 exquisite gold and silver objects dating from the Spring and Autumn Period (late 6th – early 5th century BC) onwards. The group comes from the collection originally formed by Dr. Johan Carl Kempe (1884-1967), a prominent and celebrated collector of Chinese art. The collection is particularly strong in silver works dating from the Tang period, a golden age for works produced in this material. The opulence of the Tang-dynasty court is reflected in these objects, which included fine vessels and exquisite jewelry. Highlights include a very rare and important large parcel-gilt silver bowl, Tang dynasty ($2,000,000-3,000,0000); and a very rare gold ‘dragon’-handled cup, Yuan dynasty ($600,000-800,000).

Chinese Art from The Art Institute of Chicago
12 September | 2pm | New York
Sold to benefit The Art Institute of Chicago’s Asian Art Acquisition Fund, Chinese Art from The Art Institute of Chicago features 84 lots with a focus on Ming and Qing porcelains. The sale offers a rare insight into the taste for collecting Chinese ceramics and works of art in the Midwest from the end of the 19th century through the 1980s. Highlights include two Wanli wucai garlic-head vases (sold as separate lots, each: $200,000-300,000), a large Qianlong mark-and-period blue-and-white ‘dragon’ vase, tianqiuping ($300,000-500,000), and a Qianlong mark-and-period blue-and-yellow stem bowl ($100,000-150,000). Additionally, a selection of Chinese ceramics and works of art will be presented in an online sale from September 10-17.

Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art
13 September | 10am and 2pm | New York
Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art will be held on September 13 across two sessions and comprises over 280 lots, representing works from a variety of collecting categories, including ancient ritual bronze vessels, early Buddhist sculpture, a range of ceramics, lacquerware, and other works of art. Leading the sale is an exceptionally rare and highly important pale greyish-green jade carving of a dragon head, Tang dynasty ($2,500,000-3,500,000). Additional highlights include a pair of rare ritual food vessels and covers on integral stands, fangzuogui, mid-western Zhou dynasty ($500,000-700,000); a famille rose mille fleurs lantern vase, Jiaqing iron-red six-character seal and mark of the period ($300,000-500,000); and a magnificent and very rare huanghuali folding horseshoe-back armchair, jiaoyi, 17th century ($1,000,000-1,500,000).

Chinese Art from The Art Institute of Chicago Online
10-17 September | Online
Chinese Works of Art from The Art Institute of Chicago Online includes Chinese ceramics, glass, lacquer, bronze and wood carvings that showcase the legacy of collecting Chinese art in America from the end of the 19th century through the 20th century. Highlights include Ming and Qing dynasty porcelain donated by celebrated patrons, such as Kate Sturges Buckingham and Russell Tyson. This online sale presents a rare opportunity to acquire works with distinguished provenance across a range of prices.

Gods and Guardians: South Asian Works of Art
12-19 September | Online
Gods and Guardians: South Asian Works of Art marks the first online sale for the Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Works of Art. Comprised of 60 lots, the online sale includes a selection of accessibly priced Indian paintings, Himalayan bronzes and paintings, Gandharan stone sculpture, and Southeast Asian works of art.

Contemporary Art Asia: Including a Collection of Works by Leonard Tsuguharu Foujita
18-25 September | Online
Presenting over 90 lots, Contemporary Art Asia features works by contemporary artists across Asia, including Foujita, Kaws, Zao Wou-Ki, Yoshitomo Nara, Walasse Ting, Kusama, Liu Ye and Yue Minjun. For the first time, the Contemporary Art Asia online sale will also feature Contemporary Indian Art including pieces by Souza, Husain, Jimini Roy, Nikhil Biswas, and Ram Kumar.