Zao Wou-Ki also known as Zhao Wuji

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

The influences of Chinese and European arts mingle harmoniously in the work of Zao Wou-Ki.

In 1957, when he was in Paris for nine years, his art is maturing. Pushed by the helplessness of the failure of his first marriage, he renounces any figuration in oils on canvas without drawing. The subtle play of colors with no real framing are highlighted by a brightness that seems to come from within the picture.

Some of his paintings can be interpreted as abstract landscapes or as groups of clouds. This is not the case with "Nous Deux" (We Two), an abstraction embellished with calligraphic signs, 2 x 1.6 m, whose title reveals the personal difficulties of the artist on that year.

This beautiful and important painting is estimated 10 MHK $ at Christie's, which sells it in Hong Kong on May 24.

This auction room is the leading world specialist of Zao Wou-Ki: the fourteen highest results of the artist have been achieved there, according to the database Artvalue. Compared with them, the above estimate seems too conservative.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

As I wrote, the estimate was too cautious. This large painting executed in a key period of the career of the artist was sold 35 MHK$ including premium. This price is approaching the highest result for Zao Wou-Ki: 45 MHK$ fee included in the same auction room, on 30 November 2008 for a painting executed in the previous year, 1956, 195 x 130 cm.

Christie's had been so cautious that they did not announce this sale to the press. For this reason, I did not preview a painting by another artist well known in France, Sanyu (Chang Yu), sold 42 MHK $ including expenses. The estimate was not indicated in the catalog.