In 2019, 15.02.65 was hammered down at HK$88 million and garnered HK$102 million (around US$13 million) after fees at Sotheby's Hong Kong. Acquired from the above by the present owner.Sotheby's, London, 18 October 1990, Lot 57 (consigned by the above).Private Collection (acquired from the above).The present Branches is the largest of the four paintings. With its bud waiting to open, it shows Sanyu’s hope for an early spring after a long, dark winter.Īmong Sanyu's floral paintings, there are only three other works that share the same antler-like compostition: Branches de prunier and two Fleurs de prunier – the latter two are now part of the permanent collection of Taiwan's National Museum of History, while the other remains in private hand. For the first time, he felt compelled to return to his roots, and this period laid the groundwork for his final artistic achievements – including the present lot, Branches, painted in March 1963.Ĭonsidering the seasonal background and visual form of the flowers, Branches reminds of plum blossoms that bloom between winter and spring, a symbol for resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity in Chinese tradition. Despite his consistent effort to merge Eastern and Western aesthetics, he remained largely unknown to the art world and had been in dire straits – at a point he could not even afford art supplies. His change of fortune came in the 1960s, when he was invited to design the exhibition catalogue for Chinese master Zhang Daqian and hold a solo exhibition in Taipei.
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