Fine Asian Art is back at Cambi!

The ‘Fine Asian Works of Art’ live auction will be held on Thursday 20 February 2025, organised by Cambi Casa d’Aste at its Milan headquarters in Via San Marco 22. The catalogue offers a refined selection of over 400 lots, spanning different periods, styles and cultures to offer a complete panorama of the extraordinary Asian artistic tradition.

Masterpieces in the Spotlight

The auction will present a wide range of works, from precious porcelain and sacred sculptures to paintings and artefacts. Among the most eagerly awaited lots is an exceptional painting by Xu Bei Hong (1895-1953), a celebrated master of modern Chinese painting. The work, a delicate ink on paper depicting a hen with chicks and inscriptions (45×35 cm), has an extraordinary provenance: it was donated by Xu Bei Hong himself to Professor Antonio Morassi, the illustrious art critic and historian, as a sign of gratitude for his contribution to the first exhibition of Chinese painting in Italy (Milan, 1933-1934). It is estimated at between €45,000 and €55,000.

Xu Beihong (1895-1953) is famous for his ink paintings of horses and birds and his contribution to the modernisation of Chinese art. He was among the first to combine Western oil painting techniques with the Chinese artistic tradition, creating monumental works with a strong narrative value. He studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he deepened his knowledge of drawing and oil painting, before returning to China and teaching at Peking University and the National Central University in Nanjing.

He later became president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and the Chinese Artists’ Association. His most famous works include The Old Foolish Man Who Removed the Mountains, an imposing 4.21 metre painting, Poem of the Six Dynasties and Laying Down Your Shield, characterised by the fusion of traditional Chinese brushwork and Western perspective. Xu emphasised realism and direct observation of nature, elements that influenced artists throughout Asia. After his death in 1953, the Xu Beihong Museum was founded in his home in Beijing to preserve his artistic legacy.

The Charm of Porcelain

Among the most sought-after porcelains is a magnificent Pink Family vase from the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong era (1736-1796), decorated with landscape scenes and zoomorphic handles, estimated at €10,000-15,000. Also noteworthy is a fine Rose Family porcelain garden bowl, embellished with four landscape scenes, with an estimate of EUR 10,000-12,000.

Another exceptionally important lot is a pair of imposing Doucai porcelain cachepots, decorated with Ruyi and floral motifs, dating from the Qing Dynasty, Daoguang period (1821-1850). With a height of 50 cm, these fine examples are estimated at between EUR 50,000 and EUR 70,000. Also noteworthy are a pair of polychrome porcelain cachepots on a sky-blue ground with peach-branch decoration from the Qing Dynasty, Yazhai mark (1874-1876), estimated at between EUR 40,000 and EUR 60,000.

Prominent in the catalogue is a Qianjiangcai porcelain plate signed Cheng Men, dated 1877, with a delicate landscape subject. The latter is one of the most representative works of the artist’s painting style, known for his mastery in integrating the tradition of literate painting into porcelain.

Chengmen (c. 1833 – c. 1908), also known as Zengpei, was a gifted Chinese artist, famous for his calligraphy and painting, particularly his free and casual cursive style. A master of literate painting, he excelled in a wide range of subjects, including landscapes, figures, flowers, insects, fish and birds. He was a pioneer of Qianjiangcai porcelain, integrating literary painting into ceramic art. His porcelain landscape plaque, dated 1865, is the earliest known example of this style with a confirmed date. Chengmen was inspired by the masters of the Song and Yuan dynasties and the Wang painters of the Qing period, combining rigour, freedom of expression and elegance. During his tenure at the Imperial Kilns, he deepened his knowledge of ceramic materials, perfecting porcelain painting techniques. His bold style, characterised by dry brushstrokes and diluted ink, recalls the technique of master Yuan Huang Gongwang, creating refined and balanced compositions that combine fluidity and charm.

Sculptures and Sacred Objects

The catalogue also includes an extraordinary collection of sacred sculptures, including a precious stone-carved Bodhisattva head from Gandhara (4th century), a fine example of Indo-Greek art, with an estimate between €12,500 and €14,500. Also of great fascination is a majestic bronze Guanyin figure on a double lotus flower from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), with an estimate of EUR 8,000-12,000.

Discover all the lots on cambiaste.com!