Provenance
Private Collection, Paris
Acquired from the above by the present owner circa 1998
Literature
Rita Wong, SANYU Catalogue Raisonne: Drawings and Watercolours, Taipei, 2014, no. D0043, electronic index p. 11 (illustrated)
Catalogue Essay
Born in Sichuan in 1895, Sanyu was the youngest child in a wealthy family who owned a silk factory. As a young boy who trained in Chinese calligraphy, he was always encouraged to savour his love for art. After a trip to Japan in 1918 where he encountered Modern Western Art, he left Asia for Paris and its Avant-garde scene and arrived there in 1920. Once settled, unlike many of his contemporaries who studied at schools which taught the strict academic rules of painting, he chose to further his studies at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, a school dedicated to painting and sculpture free from academic constraint. It was there that he spent several years mastering the art of sketching. Sanyu soon became a familiar feature of Montparnasse. At the Académie, he befriended Alberto Giacometti and his fellow Parisian-Chinese artist Pang Xunqin, who recalls Picasso painting Sanyu’s portrait around that time. In 1929, Henri-Pierre Roché, who had already supported the careers of Duchamp, Braque and Brancusi, agreed to be his dealer.

It is in Sanyu’s drawings that we see his concept and experimentation in perspective. His love for photography is noticeably evident through the play of perspective, where he takes on the view of a wide-angle camera lens to accentuate the hips and thighs of his nudes. One of the artist’s most loyal and well-known supporters and friends, the celebrated poet Xu Zhimo, once said that his nudes had the ‘the thighs of the universe’.

Having had years of rigorous practice in traditional Chinese calligraphy since a young age, Sanyu brilliantly incorporates the ink-wash technique into his nude drawings, evoking the beauty of the flesh. Moving away from the traditions of Western sketching through the use of charcoal and pen, Sanyu instead uses the rhythm of the calligraphy brush to create vividly subversive lines of the flesh, not only showing his ability to create flow and resilience in movement, but also demonstrating the simple yet exquisite qualities of Chinese ink painting.

Pioneers of Modernism: A Selection from The Scheeres Collection

27

Sanyu

Nude

signed 'Yu [in Chinese] SANYU' lower right
ink and charcoal on paper
44.2 x 55.4 cm. (17 3/8 x 21 3/4 in.)

Estimate
HK$200,000 - 300,000
€21,500-32,300
$25,600-38,500

Sold for HK$1,187,500

Contact Specialist
Jonathan Crockett
Deputy Chairman, Asia and Head of 20th Century & Contemporary Art, Asia
+852 2318 2023

Isaure de Viel Castel
Head of Department
+852 2318 2011

Sandy Ma
Head of Sale
+852 2318 2025

20th Century & Contemporary Art & Design Evening Sale

Hong Kong Auction 27 May 2018

1
Yayoi Kusama
Infinity Nets
Estimate HK$350,000 - 550,000
Sold for HK$1,250,000
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2
Christine Ay Tjoe
...to See the White Land
Estimate HK$1,900,000 - 2,900,000
Sold for HK$5,260,000
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3
Cecily Brown
The Boy with a Thorn in his Side
Estimate HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000
Sold for HK$2,980,000
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4
Yayoi Kusama
Sea in the Evening Glow
Estimate HK$2,400,000 - 3,500,000
Sold for HK$5,140,000
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5
Zao Wou-Ki
04.01.79
Estimate On Request
Sold for HK$69,850,000
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6
Jean Dubuffet
Le Chien Rôdeur
Estimate HK$7,000,000 - 9,000,000
Sold for HK$7,540,000
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7
Toshimitsu Imai
Untitled
Estimate HK$650,000 - 850,000
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8
This lot is no longer available.
9
Yayoi Kusama
Infinity Nets (HOAWD)
Estimate HK$4,500,000 - 6,500,000
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10
Richard Lin
Three Four Five
Estimate HK$900,000 - 1,500,000
Sold for HK$5,140,000
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11
Richard Lin
January
Estimate HK$450,000 - 650,000
Sold for HK$2,375,000
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12
Zhang Xiaogang
Bloodline: Big Family No.9
Estimate On Request
Sold for HK$38,350,000
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13
Fang Lijun
Series 2 No.10
Estimate HK$6,000,000 - 9,000,000
Sold for HK$9,700,000
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14
Yue Minjun
Penguin
Estimate HK$1,500,000 - 2,000,000
Sold for HK$2,500,000
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15
Fang Lijun
1994 No. 4
Estimate HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000
Sold for HK$2,500,000
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16
Richard Lin
One and Two
Estimate HK$90,000 - 150,000
Sold for HK$937,500
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17
Richard Lin
Composition
Estimate HK$90,000 - 150,000
Sold for HK$612,500
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18
Zhan Wang
Artificial Rock No. 92
Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$475,000
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19
Liu Jianhua
Polychrome Ceramic Series – “Games"
Estimate HK$80,000 - 100,000
Sold for HK$275,000
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20
Zhan Wang
Gifts from Heaven Series (in 2 parts)
Estimate HK$80,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$137,500
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21
Liu Jianhua
Polychrome Ceramic Series – “Obsessive Memories”
Estimate HK$80,000 - 100,000
Sold for HK$350,000
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22
Mai Trung Thứ
Lady Combing Hair
Estimate HK$150,000 - 250,000
Sold for HK$500,000
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23
Lê Phổ
Le Diner
Estimate HK$100,000 - 150,000
Sold for HK$487,500
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24
Nguyễn Gia Trí
Landscape with Ricefields
Estimate HK$100,000 - 150,000
Sold for HK$375,000
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25
Pham Hau
View of a Temple
Estimate HK$60,000 - 90,000
Sold for HK$300,000
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26
Sanyu
Reclining Leopard
Estimate HK$40,000 - 80,000
Sold for HK$250,000
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27
Sanyu
Nude
Estimate HK$200,000 - 300,000
Sold for HK$1,187,500
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28
Sanyu
Reclining Nude
Estimate HK$100,000 - 200,000
Sold for HK$562,500
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29
Sanyu
Standing Nude
Estimate HK$120,000 - 220,000
Sold for HK$525,000
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30
Lee Man Fong
Balinese Dancer
Estimate HK$220,000 - 350,000
Sold for HK$562,500
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31
Hurvin Anderson
Naila (Movement)
Estimate HK$200,000 - 300,000
Sold for HK$375,000
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32
Ib Kofod-Larsen
Pair of 'Elisabeth' armchairs, model no. U 56
Estimate HK$150,000 - 250,000
Sold for HK$300,000
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33
KAWS
FINAL DAYS
Estimate HK$3,000,000 - 5,000,000
Sold for HK$5,620,000
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34
Takashi Murakami
MPGMP, 1960->2012
Estimate HK$5,000,000 - 7,000,000
Sold for HK$7,300,000
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35
Jonas Wood
Untitled (Grid Pot)
Estimate HK$500,000 - 800,000
Sold for HK$2,250,000
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36
Liu Wei
Purple Air D1
Estimate HK$1,500,000 - 2,000,000
Sold for HK$2,500,000
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37
Hans J. Wegner
‘Valet’ chair, model no. JH540
Estimate HK$60,000 - 80,000
Sold for HK$106,250
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38
Finn Juhl
Early two-seater sofa, model no. FJ 41
Estimate HK$80,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$137,500
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39
Finn Juhl
Important and early 'Chieftain' armchair, model no. FJ 49 A
Estimate HK$500,000 - 800,000
Sold for HK$1,000,000
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40
George Condo
Writer
Estimate HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000
Sold for HK$3,220,000
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41
George Condo
Black Standing Figures
Estimate HK$6,500,000 - 8,500,000
Sold for HK$7,540,000
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42
KAWS
Untitled
Estimate HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000
Sold for HK$5,260,000
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43
Tomoo Gokita
Women in Crime
Estimate HK$700,000 - 1,000,000
Sold for HK$2,740,000
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44
Nam June Paik
Big Shoulder
Estimate HK$1,800,000 - 2,200,000
Sold for HK$2,312,500
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45
KAWS
(FIVE YEARS LATER) COMPANION
Estimate HK$500,000 - 700,000
Sold for HK$1,250,000
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46
Rob Pruitt
Untitled
Estimate HK$700,000 - 900,000
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47
Yayoi Kusama
Nets
Estimate HK$350,000 - 550,000
Sold for HK$937,500
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48
Anish Kapoor
Untitled
Estimate HK$2,500,000 - 3,800,000
Sold for HK$2,740,000
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49
Finn Juhl
Desk, model no. BO69
Estimate HK$80,000 - 100,000
Sold for HK$175,000
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50
Ugo Rondinone
März 2007
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 1,500,000
Sold for HK$2,125,000
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51
Damien Hirst
Beautiful Bloody Revolutionary Supersonic French Spin Painting for the Amazing Anne-Sophie
Estimate HK$1,200,000 - 2,200,000
Sold for HK$2,000,000
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52
Paolo Buffa
Pair of armchairs
Estimate HK$75,000 - 95,000
Sold for HK$125,000
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53
Max Ingrand
Pair of ‘Dahlia’ wall lights, model no. 1461
Estimate HK$23,000 - 26,000
Sold for HK$100,000
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54
Gio Ponti
Desk and chair
Estimate HK$160,000 - 200,000
Sold for HK$200,000
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55
Gio Ponti
Pair of two-seater sofas
Estimate HK$140,000 - 180,000
Sold for HK$337,500
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56
Max Ingrand
Rare chandelier
Estimate HK$80,000 - 100,000
Sold for HK$250,000
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57
Yayoi Kusama
Signs of the Sunset
Estimate HK$3,000,000 - 5,000,000
Sold for HK$4,660,000
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58
Walasse Ting
Little Rain
Estimate HK$700,000 - 900,000
Sold for HK$600,000
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59
Lee Ufan
From Line No. 800139
Estimate HK$4,500,000 - 6,500,000
Sold for HK$6,700,000
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60
Kim Tschang-Yeul
Gouttes d'eau
Estimate HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000
Sold for HK$3,940,000
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61
Yayoi Kusama
Infinity Double Dots
Estimate HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000
Sold for HK$4,900,000
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62
This lot is no longer available.
63
Kim Chan-Il
Line
Estimate HK$120,000 - 150,000
Sold for HK$125,000
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64
Ole Wanscher
Cabinet
Estimate HK$32,000 - 42,000
Sold for HK$212,500
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65
Ole Wanscher
Armchair
Estimate HK$22,000 - 32,000
Sold for HK$87,500
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66
Ole Wanscher
Desk
Estimate HK$42,000 - 52,000
Sold for HK$275,000
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67
Poul Henningsen
Early desk lamp, type 4/3 shades
Estimate HK$80,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$112,500
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68
Josh Smith
Untitled (JSC09265)
Estimate HK$200,000 - 300,000
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69
Thomas Struth
Todai-Ji, Daibutsu-Den, Nara
Estimate HK$300,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$275,000
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70
Andreas Gursky
Hong Kong Flughafen (Hong Kong Airport)
Estimate HK$300,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$687,500
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