Phillips Announces the Auction Debut for Sanyu’s Masterpiece Reclining Nude, with Raised Knee II from the Collection of Doctor Eric Edwards, Paris

Phillips Announces the Auction Debut for Sanyu’s Masterpiece Reclining Nude, with Raised Knee II from the Collection of Doctor Eric Edwards, Paris  

To be offered as a star lot in the Modern & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in Hong Kong this Fall

One of the Last Large Nudes by Sanyu that Has Remained in a Private French Collection
 

HONG KONG – 3 June 2024 – On the heels of the success of its Modern & Contemporary Art Spring Sales, with Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1982 seminal work achieving HK$99 million/ US$12.6 million and marking the most valuable lot sold across all auction houses in Hong Kong this Spring, Phillips is proud to announce the auction debut of Sanyu’s masterpiece, Reclining nude, with Raised Knee II, from the collection of Doctor Eric Edwards, Paris. An exceptional painting by Sanyu featuring his most iconic and celebrated subject, the work will be presented as a star lot in Phillips’ Modern & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in Hong Kong this November. Executed in 1950s/1960s in Paris, the work was acquired by Dr. Edwards from the Parisian dealer and collector Jean-Claude Riedel, a major advocate of Sanyu’s works, and has resided in his collection for over four decades. As the largest painting of the nude female form by Sanyu that has remained in a private collection in France, this momentous sale presents a great opportunity for collectors to acquire this exceedingly important work.

Dr. Edwards is an acclaimed collector of works by Sanyu, who once owned some of the most prominent works by the artist sold at auction, including the record breaking Five Nudes. His extensive collection of works by Sanyu was also seen in a 1988 major exhibition held in the Taipei Fine Arts Museum highlighting works by seven Chinese painters who studied in France, with all works by Sanyu lent by him.

Isaure de Viel Castel, Senior International Specialist, Modern & Contemporary Art, Phillips, said, “We are extremely honoured to have been entrusted with the sale of this significant work which resided in Dr. Eric Edwards’ collection since 1981. Reflecting on Phillips’ new strategy of expanding our scope to include more important works from the Modern era, this sale perfectly captures our commitment to source masterpieces from this category. Moreover, the auction of this masterwork comes at a particularly exciting moment for Sanyu as Rita Wong’s landmark publication updating Sanyu’s biography and catalogue raisonné is being released. We look forward to unveiling this masterpiece to collectors and art enthusiasts in Paris this week, and welcoming clients through our doors to see it in person when the work embarks on an Asia tour, before heading up to our Hong Kong galleries in West Kowloon.”

Dr. Eric Edwards said, “I first encountered Sanyu’s work in 1977 in Jean-Claude Riedel’s gallery where I was astonished by the pieces I saw from a few artists that he was showing. The past four decades of owning Sanyu’s paintings have been an immense pleasure and I have always considered the present work, which I have kept until now, as one of the most memorable pieces in my collection. I hope that Reclining nude, with Raised Knee II will continue its great journey and be passed on to another admirer of the artist and collector of his works.”

The female nude was Sanyu’s enduring subject. The artist started painting nudes in the 1920s when he settled in Paris. His early works are comprised almost entirely nude sketches and drawings, demonstrating his fascination with a theme which was totally fresh to him although deeply rooted in Western art tradition. In the 1950s and 1960s, Sanyu’s nudes moved away from the soft pink, dreamlike effect set against creamy pastel backdrop that he did in the 1930s. Instead, he employed a new, bold and very original style which brings together Chinese traditional landscape painting, calligraphy and Western Modern Art. In Reclining nude, with Raised Knee II, the thick graphic line contrasts sharply against an abstract milky background, unifying in one vision the modern odalisque with an imagined landscape. Above all, it encapsulates the timeless nude the artist has sought after all his life.

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Phillips: where the world’s curious and bold connect with the art, design and luxury that inspires them. As a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century works, Phillips offers dedicated expertise in the areas of Modern and Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions, Watches, and Jewelry. Auctions and exhibitions are primarily held in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong, with representative offices based throughout Europe, the United States and Asia. Phillips offers a regular selection of live and online auctions, along with items available for immediate purchase. Phillips also offers a range of services and advice on all aspects of collecting, including private sales and assistance with appraisals, valuations, and financial planning. Visit phillips.com for further information.

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium; prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium.

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HONG KONG – Ingrid Hsu, Public Relations & Communications Director, Asia Ingridhsu@phillips.com +852 2318 2043
HONG KONG – Jiayi Zhang, Public Relations Coordinator                              Jiayizhang@phillips.com  +852 2318 2080

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