Chinese paintings to be auctioned by Sotheby's HK in April

More than 300 fine Chinese paintings estimated over 23 million U.S. dollars will be auctioned by Sotheby's Hong Kong next month, the renowned auction house said on Wednesday.

The auction will be held in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center on April 6, offering highlights include fresh-to- market works from the family collections of Zhang Daqian, Li Yanshan and Yuan Shikai, as well as Guangdong book collector Mo Boji.

C.K. Cheung, head of Chinese Paintings Department of the Sotheby's, said the Sotheby's continues to leverage unrivalled global network to assemble outstanding works from important private collections worldwide, including the family collections of several artists.

Star lots of the sale include Zhang Daqian's pioneering splash- ink-and-colour works, Blossoming Lotus and Ancient Temple in the Mist, which were completed in the 1960s and the 1970s respectively; as well as his 1950s gongbi brushwork painting, Riding in the Autumn Countryside, according to Cheung.

"We are delighted to bring together both traditional and innovative works by this modern master on one single occasion," he said.

Besides, 14 paintings by Lin Fengmian which cover a wide range of subject matters, from figures to theatrical figures, flowers and animals will also be on sale.

The auction will also feature nearly 20 four-panel calligraphic works from multiple collectors by acclaimed artists from the mid- Qing period to the 20th century, including Yi Bingshou and Liang Qichao, showcasing distinctive script styles such as seal, clerical, semi-cursive and regular scripts.