Evergreen masters thrive at autumn auctions

Jia Ou Tian Cheng (An Ideal Couple), by Qi Baishi. Photos provided to China Daily

Quality Chinese painting and calligraphic works posted stable performance at the autumn sales of Beijing-based Wen Jin Ge International Auction, grossing more than 70 million yuan ($11.47 million) in total.

Works by masters such as Qi Baishi, Wu Changshuo and Xie Zhiliu with sound provenance were the most sought-after items.

Qi's classic works have been hailed as "evergreen", consistently fetching noteworthy prices at auction.

At Wen Jin Ge's sales, his ink-and-color hanging scroll, Jia Ou Tian Cheng (An Ideal Couple) sold for 4.485 million yuan, nearly triple the pre-sale estimate. The painting was a wedding gift to Qi's student Zhang Wanli, showing twin lotus flowers on the same stalk emerging from water, beneath the surface of which are two fish. The image represents the ideal of happiness and harmony.

Two other paintings by Qi, Shi Yu Xie (Rock and Crab) and Mo He (Lotus), which exemplify his maturity in brushwork, also sold for several million yuan.