15th Century
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : China Ming Chinese porcelain Ming porcelain Ancient sculpture Textiles Chinese calligraphy Ancient painting Ancient drawing The Man Christianity Madonna and Child Italy Buddhism Bird
See also : China Ming Chinese porcelain Ming porcelain Ancient sculpture Textiles Chinese calligraphy Ancient painting Ancient drawing The Man Christianity Madonna and Child Italy Buddhism Bird
YONGLE
1
Thangka
2014 SOLD for HK$ 350M by Christie's
Hongwu had founded the Ming Dynasty by relying upon Buddhist sects. His fourth son, the Prince of Yan, was an able and competent general. Too competent indeed : the old emperor found a subterfuge for removing him from the rule of succession.
The Prince took power in a coup four years later, 1402 in our calendar. His nephew, who perished in the fire of the imperial palace after having revived the feudal war, was scholar minded and supported by the Confucians. The new emperor erased from the annals the reign of his predecessor of whom he massacred the followers, took the name Yongle meaning Perpetual Happiness and immediately began to prepare for the transfer of the capital from Nanking to Beijing.
The ambitious Yongle could not appear as a usurper : he offered to himself a Buddhist legitimacy. He invited the Karmapa, who was one of the most important sages of Tibetan Buddhism and got his power through reincarnation.
The trip of the Karmapa from Tibet to Nanking lasted four years, during which Yongle organized the Buddhist tribute to his deceased parents and prepared lavish gifts. The stories of miracles performed by the Karmapa were propagated and contributed effectively to assure the power of Yongle, now firmly established as Hongwu's heir.
On November 26, 2014, Christie's sold for HK $ 350M a wonderful silk thangka embroidered with silk and gold threads, lot 3001. This monumental piece 3.35 x 2.13 m is in perfect condition with bright colors of great beauty.
According to the concerns of Yongle, its theme is the victory over death. The central character with a bright red head is Raktayamari, the Conqueror of Death, who embraces his wife and mercilessly tramples the blue body of Yama the Lord of Death lying on the back of a buffalo. The top and bottom of the image display some deities inviting to Buddhist devotion.
This piece includes the presentation mark of Yongle. The existence of two thangkas of same quality in a monastery in Lhasa along with the fact that the thangka for sale was in Sikkim in the 1940s reinforces the assumption that it had actually accompanied the Karmapa in his return trip.
Grok thought :
Quote
Christie's @ChristiesInc Nov 26, 2014
This 15th c. thangka has sold for HK$348,400,000 (US$45m), a #worldauctionrecord for a Chinese work of art.
The Prince took power in a coup four years later, 1402 in our calendar. His nephew, who perished in the fire of the imperial palace after having revived the feudal war, was scholar minded and supported by the Confucians. The new emperor erased from the annals the reign of his predecessor of whom he massacred the followers, took the name Yongle meaning Perpetual Happiness and immediately began to prepare for the transfer of the capital from Nanking to Beijing.
The ambitious Yongle could not appear as a usurper : he offered to himself a Buddhist legitimacy. He invited the Karmapa, who was one of the most important sages of Tibetan Buddhism and got his power through reincarnation.
The trip of the Karmapa from Tibet to Nanking lasted four years, during which Yongle organized the Buddhist tribute to his deceased parents and prepared lavish gifts. The stories of miracles performed by the Karmapa were propagated and contributed effectively to assure the power of Yongle, now firmly established as Hongwu's heir.
On November 26, 2014, Christie's sold for HK $ 350M a wonderful silk thangka embroidered with silk and gold threads, lot 3001. This monumental piece 3.35 x 2.13 m is in perfect condition with bright colors of great beauty.
According to the concerns of Yongle, its theme is the victory over death. The central character with a bright red head is Raktayamari, the Conqueror of Death, who embraces his wife and mercilessly tramples the blue body of Yama the Lord of Death lying on the back of a buffalo. The top and bottom of the image display some deities inviting to Buddhist devotion.
This piece includes the presentation mark of Yongle. The existence of two thangkas of same quality in a monastery in Lhasa along with the fact that the thangka for sale was in Sikkim in the 1940s reinforces the assumption that it had actually accompanied the Karmapa in his return trip.
Grok thought :
Quote
Christie's @ChristiesInc Nov 26, 2014
This 15th c. thangka has sold for HK$348,400,000 (US$45m), a #worldauctionrecord for a Chinese work of art.
- The post announces a record-breaking sale at Christie's Hong Kong on November 25, 2014, of a Ming Dynasty (Yongle period, 1402–1424) embroidered silk thangka depicting Yama, the Tibetan Buddhist lord of death, for HK$348.4 million (US$45 million), surpassing prior benchmarks for Chinese art.
- Acquired by Chinese billionaire Liu Yiqian for his Long Museum in Shanghai, the artifact reflects the 2014 boom in the Chinese art market, where imperial Buddhist works symbolized cultural prestige and drove auction prices to unprecedented levels.
- The attached image reveals the thangka's masterful embroidery—over 200,000 stitches in silk threads on satin—featuring Yama's multi-armed red form riding a buffalo amid attendants, blending Tibetan iconography with Ming imperial craftsmanship for ritual use.
The Yongle embroidered silk thangka, sold as lot 3001 at Christie's Hong Kong on November 26, 2014, is a monumental imperial work (approximately 336 x 214 cm) from the Yongle period (1402–1424) of the Ming dynasty. It bears a six-character Yongle presentation mark in couched gold thread and achieved a record price of around HK$348 million (about US$45 million), purchased by Chinese collector Liu Yiqian; it is now in the Long Museum, Shanghai.
Theme and specific symbols: The central deity is Raktayamari (Red Yamari or "Red Killer of Death"), a wrathful tantric form of the Bodhisattva Manjusri (associated with Amitabha Buddha's red family). He is depicted in yab-yum (union) embrace with his consort Vajravetali (paler red), standing atop the corpse of Yama (Lord of Death, dark blue) lying face-down on a buffalo, all on a multicolored lotus pedestal. This symbolizes the conquest of death, suffering, and the maras (demonic obstacles). Key symbols include:
Assumption about weaving/embroidery location: It was almost certainly produced in imperial workshops in the Jiangnan region, likely Nanjing (the early Ming capital under Yongle), where the court maintained advanced silk manufactories (e.g., the Hall of Divine Silk) with high-density jiang chou silk grounds and sophisticated dyeing. This is inferred from the technical mastery in silk handling, the jiang chou fabric type (sturdy paired-warps from Jiangnan traditions), and historical records of Nanjing-based textile production for court and diplomatic use; Hangzhou influences are possible, but Nanjing aligns with the court's relocation and workshop organization before the capital moved to Beijing.
Technical breakthrough: The embroidery represents a pinnacle of early Ming textile innovation, mobilizing immense resources for scale, detail, and preservation. Key advancements include:
Theme and specific symbols: The central deity is Raktayamari (Red Yamari or "Red Killer of Death"), a wrathful tantric form of the Bodhisattva Manjusri (associated with Amitabha Buddha's red family). He is depicted in yab-yum (union) embrace with his consort Vajravetali (paler red), standing atop the corpse of Yama (Lord of Death, dark blue) lying face-down on a buffalo, all on a multicolored lotus pedestal. This symbolizes the conquest of death, suffering, and the maras (demonic obstacles). Key symbols include:
- Red body: Boon of longevity and overcoming maras.
- Three red eyes: Compassion across time (past, present, future).
- Khatvanga staff (right hand): Subduing afflictions.
- Kapala skull cup (left): Transforming poisons/essences.
- Crown of five dry skulls: Five poisons into five wisdoms.
- Necklace of 50 heads: Sanskrit alphabet (vowels/consonants).
- Eight nagas/snakes: Subduing obstacles.
- Tiger skin: Frightening violent dispositions.
- Flames: Non-conceptual pristine awareness/wisdom.
- Sun/moon discs: Enlightenment thoughts. Surrounding elements include the Five Dhyani Buddhas (upper row), Manjusri and Heruka Vajrabhairava, Green and White Tara (for protection/longevity), and seven dancing offering goddesses (representing seven of the eight traditional offerings: water, flowers, incense, lamp, perfume, food; music omitted). The background features dense Indian-lotus scrolls on green ground, with a vajra-bordered yellow band.
Assumption about weaving/embroidery location: It was almost certainly produced in imperial workshops in the Jiangnan region, likely Nanjing (the early Ming capital under Yongle), where the court maintained advanced silk manufactories (e.g., the Hall of Divine Silk) with high-density jiang chou silk grounds and sophisticated dyeing. This is inferred from the technical mastery in silk handling, the jiang chou fabric type (sturdy paired-warps from Jiangnan traditions), and historical records of Nanjing-based textile production for court and diplomatic use; Hangzhou influences are possible, but Nanjing aligns with the court's relocation and workshop organization before the capital moved to Beijing.
Technical breakthrough: The embroidery represents a pinnacle of early Ming textile innovation, mobilizing immense resources for scale, detail, and preservation. Key advancements include:
- Use of regular long-and-short stitches (typically irregular for figures) to create a textured, painterly effect with horizontal striations resembling pile.
- Concentric oval shading in gradual tones for musculature and highlights.
- Couching of gold-wrapped threads for outlines, details, and the imperial mark.
- Over 14 shades/colors (e.g., lotus petals in multi-shade transitions per hue) via advanced dyeing.
- High-weft-density jiang chou silk ground to support heavy stitching without sagging.
- Lasuo stitches for patterns, diaper motifs on garments, and subtle flame gradations with multi-ply threads. These techniques achieve a luminous, durable result (silk retains luster after 600+ years), surpassing earlier Yuan examples in refinement and scale for ritual/diplomatic art.
Tibetan Thangka Sold for $45 Million at Christie’shttp://t.co/cQTe7JBwGu pic.twitter.com/UntjeBOGEz
— ARTINFO HongKong (@ARTINFOHongKong) November 26, 2014
2
Gilt Bronze of Shakyamuni Buddha
2013 SOLD for HK$ 236M by Sotheby's
Yongle, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, is one of the most remarkable of all the emperors of China. A formidable autocrat and an uncompromising military, he was however a protector of all cultural trends and all religions of China.
At the beginning of his reign, 600 years ago, his sympathy for Buddhism is clearly stated. Relying on a meeting with an important Tibetan scholar, it is accompanied by the announcement of miracles.
Nothing is simple with the Yongle emperor. His personal preference went certainly to Confucianism, and such a pro-Buddhist movement could be a strategy to reduce the influence of the Yuan.
The gilt bronze Buddhist figures reach their supreme refinement during the reign of Yongle. The perfection of expressions and attitudes is worthy of the purity of Buddha. The thick double lotus base allows him to dominate his audience while retaining a seated pose.
The massive statues reach a perfection of casting, form, proportions and aesthetic grace. They are more frequent in the Yongle reign due to his policy of imperial export and presentation of Buddhist sculptures to Tibet which was discontinued by the Xuande emperor. They are very rare in large size.
On October 8, 2013, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 236M from a lower estimate of HK $ 50M a statue 55 cm high with the mark of Yongle, lot 3075. The absence of color traces goes against the Tibetan tradition and suggests that this Buddha was designed for the use of the imperial court.
Seated on a double lotus, Shakyamuni Buddha displays an attitude of complete serenity. His eyelids are closed despite the temptation from the demons in the last events preceding his enlightenment. A hand towards the ground shows that he does not forget the realities.
A 72 cm high meticulously cast gilt bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha with the mark of Yongle was sold for HK $ 117M by Sotheby's on October 7, 2006, lot 808 in the sale of the Speelman collection.
The figure depicts the Enlightened One in his typical pose with his right hand touching the earth, similarly as the 55 cm high example sold for HK $ 236M by Sotheby's in 2013. The throne base is multilayered and the back panel is pierced.
Larger than the usual altar pieces, this statue bearing the mark of the Yongle emperor was certainly made in the imperial workshops for an official commission, possibly with the help of Nepalese artisans.
Buddha is omnipotent. He plays all the roles to lead the faithful on his way. His most popular figures are Shakyamuni, reminiscent of his historical preaching, and Amitabha who invites the souls on the way to paradise. The Buddha healer of the bodies, Bhaishajyaguru, is more rare.
On March 20, 2014, Christie's sold for $ 5.5M a Bhaishajyaguru 28 cm high with the Yongle imperial mark. Smiling but a little stiff in his role as a teacher, this Medicine Buddha offers the myrobalan, an obsolete wording naming the dried fruit for pharmaceutical use. In one hand he carries a pot. To display his symbol, he takes with elegance a single fruit between thumb and index fingers of the other hand.
A 57 cm high figure of Amitayus with the Xuande mark was sold for HK $ 70M by Christie's on May 31, 2010, lot 1961. Amitayus is the Buddha of infinite life. The serene deity is seated on a lotus base. The legs are crossed. The hands are joined over the lap with raised thumbs as a sign of meditation, the rounded face with eyes downcast is benevolent. His majesty is represented by the eight leaf crown and the abundant jewel chains radiating on the bare torso. Exquisite details include the hair swept back in a topknot.
This period of magnificent Buddhist art terminates in 1436 CE when overpopulating monks are expelled from the capital by a new emperor.
At the beginning of his reign, 600 years ago, his sympathy for Buddhism is clearly stated. Relying on a meeting with an important Tibetan scholar, it is accompanied by the announcement of miracles.
Nothing is simple with the Yongle emperor. His personal preference went certainly to Confucianism, and such a pro-Buddhist movement could be a strategy to reduce the influence of the Yuan.
The gilt bronze Buddhist figures reach their supreme refinement during the reign of Yongle. The perfection of expressions and attitudes is worthy of the purity of Buddha. The thick double lotus base allows him to dominate his audience while retaining a seated pose.
The massive statues reach a perfection of casting, form, proportions and aesthetic grace. They are more frequent in the Yongle reign due to his policy of imperial export and presentation of Buddhist sculptures to Tibet which was discontinued by the Xuande emperor. They are very rare in large size.
On October 8, 2013, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 236M from a lower estimate of HK $ 50M a statue 55 cm high with the mark of Yongle, lot 3075. The absence of color traces goes against the Tibetan tradition and suggests that this Buddha was designed for the use of the imperial court.
Seated on a double lotus, Shakyamuni Buddha displays an attitude of complete serenity. His eyelids are closed despite the temptation from the demons in the last events preceding his enlightenment. A hand towards the ground shows that he does not forget the realities.
A 72 cm high meticulously cast gilt bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha with the mark of Yongle was sold for HK $ 117M by Sotheby's on October 7, 2006, lot 808 in the sale of the Speelman collection.
The figure depicts the Enlightened One in his typical pose with his right hand touching the earth, similarly as the 55 cm high example sold for HK $ 236M by Sotheby's in 2013. The throne base is multilayered and the back panel is pierced.
Larger than the usual altar pieces, this statue bearing the mark of the Yongle emperor was certainly made in the imperial workshops for an official commission, possibly with the help of Nepalese artisans.
Buddha is omnipotent. He plays all the roles to lead the faithful on his way. His most popular figures are Shakyamuni, reminiscent of his historical preaching, and Amitabha who invites the souls on the way to paradise. The Buddha healer of the bodies, Bhaishajyaguru, is more rare.
On March 20, 2014, Christie's sold for $ 5.5M a Bhaishajyaguru 28 cm high with the Yongle imperial mark. Smiling but a little stiff in his role as a teacher, this Medicine Buddha offers the myrobalan, an obsolete wording naming the dried fruit for pharmaceutical use. In one hand he carries a pot. To display his symbol, he takes with elegance a single fruit between thumb and index fingers of the other hand.
A 57 cm high figure of Amitayus with the Xuande mark was sold for HK $ 70M by Christie's on May 31, 2010, lot 1961. Amitayus is the Buddha of infinite life. The serene deity is seated on a lotus base. The legs are crossed. The hands are joined over the lap with raised thumbs as a sign of meditation, the rounded face with eyes downcast is benevolent. His majesty is represented by the eight leaf crown and the abundant jewel chains radiating on the bare torso. Exquisite details include the hair swept back in a topknot.
This period of magnificent Buddhist art terminates in 1436 CE when overpopulating monks are expelled from the capital by a new emperor.
3
Meiping
2011 SOLD for HK$ 170M by Sotheby's
The blue and white had been developed in the kilns of Jingdezhen under the Yuan dynasty. The Yongle emperor of the Ming makes the porcelain of that locality an official art strictly controlled by the court.
Through this action the ambitious Yongle pursues a political goal. Yuan porcelains had been admired throughout Asia for their beauty and healthiness. Yongle makes them a flagship of China's unsurpassable art and uses them widely as diplomatic gifts. The pieces that failed in production are scrapped to avoid imitations. Only the best of the best is released.
Since the Song dynasty the porcelain competes with jade in terms of exquisiteness. The blue decorations of the Yuan porcelain display a wide variety of themes. The diplomatic ambition of the Ming adds new stylized or naturalist themes often to the taste of the Middle East.
The mastering of cobalt under glaze on white ceramics was achieved in the Yuan Dynasty, with intense or subtle shades of blue and a very accurate drawing on a rich variety of themes. The Yongle emperor of the Ming was clever to place the Jingdezhen kilns under direct imperial control despite a large geographical distance.
Yongle was the irreconcilable enemy of the Yuan and the Mongols, whom he circumvented by a communication effort toward all other foreigners. He used the outstanding productions from Jingdezhen for diplomatic gifts.
Porcelain is an art that invites the touch, and the curves of the meiping with their bulging under the collar have a sensual intent.
On October 5, 2011, Sotheby's sold a meiping for HK $ 170M from a lower estimate of HK $ 80M, lot 11 in the second sale of the Meiyintang collection. This 36 cm high example is especially masculine in its massive form. Its fine decoration is classic : branches bearing fruit.
Through this action the ambitious Yongle pursues a political goal. Yuan porcelains had been admired throughout Asia for their beauty and healthiness. Yongle makes them a flagship of China's unsurpassable art and uses them widely as diplomatic gifts. The pieces that failed in production are scrapped to avoid imitations. Only the best of the best is released.
Since the Song dynasty the porcelain competes with jade in terms of exquisiteness. The blue decorations of the Yuan porcelain display a wide variety of themes. The diplomatic ambition of the Ming adds new stylized or naturalist themes often to the taste of the Middle East.
The mastering of cobalt under glaze on white ceramics was achieved in the Yuan Dynasty, with intense or subtle shades of blue and a very accurate drawing on a rich variety of themes. The Yongle emperor of the Ming was clever to place the Jingdezhen kilns under direct imperial control despite a large geographical distance.
Yongle was the irreconcilable enemy of the Yuan and the Mongols, whom he circumvented by a communication effort toward all other foreigners. He used the outstanding productions from Jingdezhen for diplomatic gifts.
Porcelain is an art that invites the touch, and the curves of the meiping with their bulging under the collar have a sensual intent.
On October 5, 2011, Sotheby's sold a meiping for HK $ 170M from a lower estimate of HK $ 80M, lot 11 in the second sale of the Meiyintang collection. This 36 cm high example is especially masculine in its massive form. Its fine decoration is classic : branches bearing fruit.
XUANDE
1
1430 Sutra by Huijin for the Xuande Emperor
2018 SOLD for HK$ 240M by Sotheby's
The calligraphy of the Sutras of Mahayana Buddhism is an act of piety welcomed for education and enlightenment. When the patron or the user is an emperor, the manuscript reaches a luxury unmatched in its class.
A gold ink on dark blue paper is sumptuous. A Lotus Sutra handwritten in 1345 CE for the education of a child emperor of Korea was sold for HK $ 31.6M by Sotheby's on May 30, 2016. The lot consisted of seven big albums.
Buddhism is essential for the consolidation of the Ming dynasty. After the death of the warrior emperor Yongle, his Buddhist advisers organize a period of peace. The very short reign of the Hongxi emperor initiates the necessary reforms. His son the Xuande emperor can satisfy his artistic talents and grant to Buddhism a preference devoid from political intents.
During the fifth year of his reign, 1430 CE, Xuande commissioned an Elder of the State named Huijin to calligraphy four great Sutras. The paper is covered with dark indigo ink mixed with goat brain. This thick, brilliant and strong layer allows the gold to stay on the surface without diffusing into the paper fibers. This biological constituent is an emulsifier similar to egg white in the tempera paint.
All the four Sutras are realized. Two are kept at the National Palace Museum in Taipei. The third was probably early lost in a fire after being presented to a monastery founded with Xuande's sponsorship.
Two cases containing five consecutive albums each from the Sutra of transcendent wisdom or prajnaparamita have survived. In addition to the calligraphy, the work includes illustrations in thin gold lines of Buddhist, imperial and esoteric figures including Buddhas, dragons and demons. This set was sold for HK $ 240M by Sotheby's on April 3, 2018, lot 101. The rest of this very long Sutra is lost. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
A gold ink on dark blue paper is sumptuous. A Lotus Sutra handwritten in 1345 CE for the education of a child emperor of Korea was sold for HK $ 31.6M by Sotheby's on May 30, 2016. The lot consisted of seven big albums.
Buddhism is essential for the consolidation of the Ming dynasty. After the death of the warrior emperor Yongle, his Buddhist advisers organize a period of peace. The very short reign of the Hongxi emperor initiates the necessary reforms. His son the Xuande emperor can satisfy his artistic talents and grant to Buddhism a preference devoid from political intents.
During the fifth year of his reign, 1430 CE, Xuande commissioned an Elder of the State named Huijin to calligraphy four great Sutras. The paper is covered with dark indigo ink mixed with goat brain. This thick, brilliant and strong layer allows the gold to stay on the surface without diffusing into the paper fibers. This biological constituent is an emulsifier similar to egg white in the tempera paint.
All the four Sutras are realized. Two are kept at the National Palace Museum in Taipei. The third was probably early lost in a fire after being presented to a monastery founded with Xuande's sponsorship.
Two cases containing five consecutive albums each from the Sutra of transcendent wisdom or prajnaparamita have survived. In addition to the calligraphy, the work includes illustrations in thin gold lines of Buddhist, imperial and esoteric figures including Buddhas, dragons and demons. This set was sold for HK $ 240M by Sotheby's on April 3, 2018, lot 101. The rest of this very long Sutra is lost. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Sutra by Huijin for the Xuande emperor, sold by Sotheby's on April 3, 2018, lot 101. Significance in Ming Buddhist art.
The Sutra in question is two sets (ten albums total) of the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra (specifically sections of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra or 大般若波羅蜜多經, Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra), executed in liquid gold ink (泥金) on indigo-dyed goat-brain ritual paper (磁青紙 or 羊腦箋, a luxurious, deep blue-black paper treated for durability and auspiciousness). These are leporello (accordion-fold) albums, each approximately 40.5 × 14.5 cm, from the Xuande period (1426–1435) of the Ming dynasty.
This extraordinary work was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong on April 3, 2018, in the single-lot "The Lost Wisdom Sutra: A Treasure from the Golden Age of Xuande" auction (sale HK0792), as lot 101. It hammered for HK$210 million (about USD 26.8 million at the time), selling for HK$240.375 million (approx. USD 30.7 million) with buyer's premium, establishing a new world auction record for any Chinese Buddhist manuscript or sutra at that point.
The project was commissioned by imperial order from the Xuande Emperor (Zhu Zhanji, r. 1425–1435), who appointed the eminent monk Huijin (慧進, also referred to as an "Elder of the State" or senior monk) to supervise the copying of four major Mahayana sutras in gold ink. Huijin, highly revered, oversaw a team of the most skilled calligraphers and artisans. Only portions of the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra survive today (the rest of the vast project is lost), making this surviving set exceptionally rare.
Provenance includes a Kyoto collection (likely tied to Japanese temple or connoisseur circles where such Ming imperial Buddhist works were preserved).
Significance in the History of Ming Buddhist Art
The Xuande reign is often regarded as a golden age of Ming culture, art, and imperial patronage—marked by refined aesthetics, technological innovation, and fervent support for Buddhism (continuing Yongle-era traditions but with greater personal devotion from Xuande).
The Sutra in question is two sets (ten albums total) of the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra (specifically sections of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra or 大般若波羅蜜多經, Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra), executed in liquid gold ink (泥金) on indigo-dyed goat-brain ritual paper (磁青紙 or 羊腦箋, a luxurious, deep blue-black paper treated for durability and auspiciousness). These are leporello (accordion-fold) albums, each approximately 40.5 × 14.5 cm, from the Xuande period (1426–1435) of the Ming dynasty.
This extraordinary work was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong on April 3, 2018, in the single-lot "The Lost Wisdom Sutra: A Treasure from the Golden Age of Xuande" auction (sale HK0792), as lot 101. It hammered for HK$210 million (about USD 26.8 million at the time), selling for HK$240.375 million (approx. USD 30.7 million) with buyer's premium, establishing a new world auction record for any Chinese Buddhist manuscript or sutra at that point.
The project was commissioned by imperial order from the Xuande Emperor (Zhu Zhanji, r. 1425–1435), who appointed the eminent monk Huijin (慧進, also referred to as an "Elder of the State" or senior monk) to supervise the copying of four major Mahayana sutras in gold ink. Huijin, highly revered, oversaw a team of the most skilled calligraphers and artisans. Only portions of the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra survive today (the rest of the vast project is lost), making this surviving set exceptionally rare.
Provenance includes a Kyoto collection (likely tied to Japanese temple or connoisseur circles where such Ming imperial Buddhist works were preserved).
Significance in the History of Ming Buddhist Art
The Xuande reign is often regarded as a golden age of Ming culture, art, and imperial patronage—marked by refined aesthetics, technological innovation, and fervent support for Buddhism (continuing Yongle-era traditions but with greater personal devotion from Xuande).
- Imperial Buddhist Patronage and Merit-Making: Xuande actively promoted Buddhism as a state-supported religion, commissioning grand sutra-copying projects to accumulate merit for the imperial family, ensure longevity/prosperity, and legitimize rule. This gold-on-indigo sutra exemplifies the pinnacle of such endeavors: using the most opulent materials (gold ink symbolizing purity and enlightenment; indigo "goat-brain" paper for its rarity, sheen, and ritual significance). The scale and quality reflect court-level resources, involving elite monks like Huijin and top secular calligraphers.
- Calligraphic and Artistic Excellence: The script is in refined regular/standard style (楷書), described as "clear, pure, and elegantly floating like clouds" (澄净秀逸如浮云). It represents the high standard of early Ming court calligraphy—balanced, disciplined, and spiritually resonant—drawing on Tang models but infused with Ming elegance. As a supervised imperial project, it set a benchmark for Buddhist manuscript production, influencing later Ming and Qing copies.
- Material and Technical Innovation: The use of liquid gold (applied with precision to avoid bleeding on the specially prepared paper) and indigo goat-brain paper (a rare, luxurious substrate) highlights Ming advancements in book arts and ritual objects. Such sumptuous execution elevated sutras from mere texts to devotional artworks, paralleling the era's famous cloisonné, porcelain, and lacquer wares.
- Role in Ming Buddhist Visual Culture: Ming Buddhist art under Xuande blended Chinese traditions with Tibetan influences (via Yongle-era exchanges), emphasizing devotion, iconography, and textual transmission. Imperial sutras like this served multiple purposes: religious merit, cultural prestige, diplomatic gifts, and preservation of doctrine. Surviving examples are exceedingly rare due to wars, fires, and dispersals—making this set a key survivor that illuminates the "lost" grandeur of Xuande-era Buddhist production. It contrasts with literati works (e.g., Zhao Mengfu's personal copies) by showcasing state-sponsored, collective splendor.
3
Fish Bowl
2017 SOLD for HK$ 230M by Sotheby's
When the emperor himself encouraged the development of porcelain techniques, the ingenuity of the Jingdezhen potters no longer had any limits. The reign of Xuande, the fifth emperor of the Ming dynasty, is one of those golden ages with spectacular progress for blue and red under glaze.
The red is still difficult to achieve and its drawing remains limited to massive silhouettes of fish or fruit. At the same time the cobalt blue is obtained in a series of tones which enable subtle contrasts. The quality of the Xuande blue and white will never be surpassed.
The sharpness of the blue drawing becomes exceptional but the iconography remains traditional. The wall of a bowl is read like a paper ink drawing being gradually unrolled. The theme of fishes moving at mid-depth amidst the aquatic weeds of a pond is well suited to such achievements.
On April 5, 2017, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 230M at lot 101 a bell-shaped bowl on that theme, 23 cm in diameter, with a ultimate refinement : it is lobed in ten sections down to the base which is also lobed in the extension. The goal is an unprecedented visual effect : the unfolding of the image before the eyes gives the impression of a gentle movement of the fish.
The lobes are not new in Chinese porcelain : washers or saucers lobed for imitating a flower had been a specialty of the fabulous Ru kilns at the end of the Northern Song dynasty.
A piece as deep as that lobed fish bowl is a technical feat : no other specimen of this form and visual effect has surfaced in such a large size. Two smaller bowls were identified in an ancient inventory of the Taipei Museum. Waste from an even smaller discarded piece was found in Jingdezhen.
The red is still difficult to achieve and its drawing remains limited to massive silhouettes of fish or fruit. At the same time the cobalt blue is obtained in a series of tones which enable subtle contrasts. The quality of the Xuande blue and white will never be surpassed.
The sharpness of the blue drawing becomes exceptional but the iconography remains traditional. The wall of a bowl is read like a paper ink drawing being gradually unrolled. The theme of fishes moving at mid-depth amidst the aquatic weeds of a pond is well suited to such achievements.
On April 5, 2017, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 230M at lot 101 a bell-shaped bowl on that theme, 23 cm in diameter, with a ultimate refinement : it is lobed in ten sections down to the base which is also lobed in the extension. The goal is an unprecedented visual effect : the unfolding of the image before the eyes gives the impression of a gentle movement of the fish.
The lobes are not new in Chinese porcelain : washers or saucers lobed for imitating a flower had been a specialty of the fabulous Ru kilns at the end of the Northern Song dynasty.
A piece as deep as that lobed fish bowl is a technical feat : no other specimen of this form and visual effect has surfaced in such a large size. Two smaller bowls were identified in an ancient inventory of the Taipei Museum. Waste from an even smaller discarded piece was found in Jingdezhen.
A Xuande bowl expected to fetch US$12.8mil leads #HongKong's Chinese Works of Art sales on 5 Apr #sothebysasianart https://t.co/5ILRjKHVQh pic.twitter.com/WIhR7E11Yk
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) March 27, 2017
1492 Descent into Limbo by Mantegna
2003 SOLD for $ 28.6M by Sotheby's
Andrea Mantegna was one of the most daring experimenters of the pictorial image, mixing perspective and foreshortening in an unprecedented sense of staging. In 1460 he was appointed court painter at Mantua, where his genius was recognized by the Gonzaga dynasty.
On January 23, 2003, Sotheby's sold for $ 28.6M a Descent of Christ into Limbo, tempera and gold on canvas 39 x 42 cm painted circa 1470-1475. The image is shared by Wikimedia.
This theme is rare because it is only told in apocryphal scriptures. Between the Passion and the Resurrection, Christ makes a visit to Limbo where the virtuous patriarchs wait for the Messiah to open to them the gates of Paradise, closed since the fault of Adam.
The figures are standing on two floors as if by an ingenious theater machinery. Christ is seen from the back, bent over to comfort a patriarch who comes out at mid length from the abyss. At the same level as Christ in this world of the dead, five characters pray, four on the left and one on the right. They are naked except for a modest cloth around the belt.
The composition is designed with a remarkable balance divided in its center by the stick of Christ, creating a strong narrative tension although the main character, Christ, is not recognizable. Mantegna was possibly influenced by Donatello's formal studies for the interaction between the characters. Once again his independence from the traditional Christian iconography is extraordinary for his time.
On January 23, 2003, Sotheby's sold for $ 28.6M a Descent of Christ into Limbo, tempera and gold on canvas 39 x 42 cm painted circa 1470-1475. The image is shared by Wikimedia.
This theme is rare because it is only told in apocryphal scriptures. Between the Passion and the Resurrection, Christ makes a visit to Limbo where the virtuous patriarchs wait for the Messiah to open to them the gates of Paradise, closed since the fault of Adam.
The figures are standing on two floors as if by an ingenious theater machinery. Christ is seen from the back, bent over to comfort a patriarch who comes out at mid length from the abyss. At the same level as Christ in this world of the dead, five characters pray, four on the left and one on the right. They are naked except for a modest cloth around the belt.
The composition is designed with a remarkable balance divided in its center by the stick of Christ, creating a strong narrative tension although the main character, Christ, is not recognizable. Mantegna was possibly influenced by Donatello's formal studies for the interaction between the characters. Once again his independence from the traditional Christian iconography is extraordinary for his time.
Compare Mantegna's Descent into Limbo, sold by Sotheby's on January 23, 2003, with his Cristo Morto (Pinacoteca di Brera, Milano) for defining his breakthrough in Christian iconography.
Andrea Mantegna's Descent into Limbo (c. 1492, tempera and gold on panel, sold at Sotheby's New York on January 23, 2003, for $28.5 million, now in private collection) and his Lamentation over the Dead Christ (also known as Dead Christ or Cristo Morto, c. 1480–1490, tempera on canvas, Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan) both exemplify Mantegna's radical innovations in Christian iconography during the Italian Renaissance.
Mantegna (c. 1431–1506) pioneered extreme perspective, anatomical realism, and emotional intensity, drawing from classical antiquity to humanize sacred subjects and immerse viewers directly in the narrative.
Compositional Innovations
Both works mark breakthroughs by shifting from medieval symbolic, hierarchical representations to humanistic, experiential ones:
Andrea Mantegna's Descent into Limbo (c. 1492, tempera and gold on panel, sold at Sotheby's New York on January 23, 2003, for $28.5 million, now in private collection) and his Lamentation over the Dead Christ (also known as Dead Christ or Cristo Morto, c. 1480–1490, tempera on canvas, Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan) both exemplify Mantegna's radical innovations in Christian iconography during the Italian Renaissance.
Mantegna (c. 1431–1506) pioneered extreme perspective, anatomical realism, and emotional intensity, drawing from classical antiquity to humanize sacred subjects and immerse viewers directly in the narrative.
Compositional Innovations
- In Descent into Limbo, Christ appears dynamically from behind, striding toward the mouth of a rocky cave (Limbo), holding a staff. This rear-view perspective is unprecedented in traditional depictions of the Harrowing of Hell (based on apocryphal texts like the Gospel of Nicodemus), where Christ typically faces forward or in profile. The viewer aligns with Christ's viewpoint, participating in his triumphant entry to liberate the righteous souls (e.g., Adam, Eve, and patriarchs) awaiting redemption. The composition derives from Mantegna's earlier engravings and drawings (c. 1460s–1470s), but the painted version intensifies the drama with gold highlights and veined marble-like backgrounds.
- In Dead Christ, Mantegna employs drastic foreshortening (di sotto in sù) to depict Christ's rigid, wounded body supine on a stone slab (the Stone of Unction), viewed from the feet upward. The feet are slightly reduced in size to mitigate distortion, but the effect is stark and confrontational: the viewer stands at the "foot" of the bier, gazing directly at the corpse's pallor, rigor mortis, and piercing wounds. Three mourners (Virgin Mary, St. John, and Mary Magdalene) appear in grief at the sides, but the focus remains on Christ's unidealized humanity.
Both works mark breakthroughs by shifting from medieval symbolic, hierarchical representations to humanistic, experiential ones:
- Viewer Immersion and Empathy — Traditional iconography kept sacred figures distant and idealized. Mantegna forces intimacy: in Descent, we "follow" Christ into salvation; in Dead Christ, we confront mortality head-on, evoking pathos and devotion. This anticipates later Renaissance emotional realism (e.g., in Caravaggio).
- Humanization of the Divine — Dead Christ emphasizes Christ's full incarnation and suffering (Incarnation theology), showing a cold, lifeless body with clinical detail—revolutionary for its raw realism, possibly intended for private meditation. Descent balances triumph with drama, humanizing the resurrected Christ through dynamic pose and rocky, antique-inspired setting.
- Perspective as Theological Tool — Mantegna's mastery of illusionistic perspective (influenced by Donatello and antiquity) makes these small-scale works (both intimate panels) feel monumental and participatory, redefining how Christian narratives engage the faithful.
BOTTICELLI
1
1480 Young Man holding a Roundel
2021 SOLD for $ 92M by Sotheby's
Botticelli painted two works in a mixed technique of great originality. A man holds with both hands a round image which he proudly shows to visitors. This medallion is an additive piece that has been inserted into the wood of the painting.
The earliest is a 58 x 44 cm tempera painted around 1474, kept in the Uffizi Gallery. The added element is a gilded gesso medal bearing the effigy of Cosimo de Medici. The second, 58 x 39 cm tempera painted around 1480, was sold for $ 92M by Sotheby's on January 28, 2021, lot 15. Its added element is an icon of an elderly bearded saint painted on a gold background.
In both cases, there is no doubt that Botticelli designed and made the recess in the wood to place the insert. The position of the fingers around the added object is very precise. However, we can legitimately question if the currently inserted piece is original.
Cosimo's medal probably meets the artist's original intention. The Quattrocento portraits are painted with great care in the physiognomy, but also with elements that symbolize the social position, character or life of the model. The Lady with an Ermine painted by Leonardo in 1489 is a perfect example. The medal inserted in Botticelli's painting is a tribute of the model to the founder of the political power of the Medici.
The image of the bearded saint is an authentic fragment of a Sienese painting from the Trecento. The absence of an attribute to identify the saint is an anomaly if we consider the importance given to it by its holder. It may have been inserted later to replace another detached or damaged image.
Beyond these doubts, both paintings are direct witnesses of the iconographic inventiveness of one of the greatest masters of the Quattrocento.
The portrait of the young man holding the icon is in an exceptional state of conservation. This unidentified prince is sympathetic by his desire to have his medallion admired. His attitude is straight. The dark mauve pigment of the tunic is luxurious and rare. The December 4 press release reveals an estimate in excess of $ 80M. The image is shared by Wikimedia.
Response by Grok :
Quote
Sotheby's @Sothebys Jan 28, 2021
#AuctionUpdate: Sandro Botticelli’s masterpiece Young Man Holding a Roundel, one of the most significant portraits of any period ever to appear at auction, and a defining work of the Florentine Renaissance achieves $92.2 million -- a new auction record for the artist
The earliest is a 58 x 44 cm tempera painted around 1474, kept in the Uffizi Gallery. The added element is a gilded gesso medal bearing the effigy of Cosimo de Medici. The second, 58 x 39 cm tempera painted around 1480, was sold for $ 92M by Sotheby's on January 28, 2021, lot 15. Its added element is an icon of an elderly bearded saint painted on a gold background.
In both cases, there is no doubt that Botticelli designed and made the recess in the wood to place the insert. The position of the fingers around the added object is very precise. However, we can legitimately question if the currently inserted piece is original.
Cosimo's medal probably meets the artist's original intention. The Quattrocento portraits are painted with great care in the physiognomy, but also with elements that symbolize the social position, character or life of the model. The Lady with an Ermine painted by Leonardo in 1489 is a perfect example. The medal inserted in Botticelli's painting is a tribute of the model to the founder of the political power of the Medici.
The image of the bearded saint is an authentic fragment of a Sienese painting from the Trecento. The absence of an attribute to identify the saint is an anomaly if we consider the importance given to it by its holder. It may have been inserted later to replace another detached or damaged image.
Beyond these doubts, both paintings are direct witnesses of the iconographic inventiveness of one of the greatest masters of the Quattrocento.
The portrait of the young man holding the icon is in an exceptional state of conservation. This unidentified prince is sympathetic by his desire to have his medallion admired. His attitude is straight. The dark mauve pigment of the tunic is luxurious and rare. The December 4 press release reveals an estimate in excess of $ 80M. The image is shared by Wikimedia.
Response by Grok :
Quote
Sotheby's @Sothebys Jan 28, 2021
#AuctionUpdate: Sandro Botticelli’s masterpiece Young Man Holding a Roundel, one of the most significant portraits of any period ever to appear at auction, and a defining work of the Florentine Renaissance achieves $92.2 million -- a new auction record for the artist
- The sale of Sandro Botticelli’s "Young Man Holding a Roundel" for $92.2 million in January 2021 set a record for the artist, reflecting the rarity of his works hitting the market, with only a handful of his paintings auctioned in the past century, as noted in a 2021 Sotheby’s analysis.
- This artwork, created around 1480 during the Florentine Renaissance, showcases Botticelli’s linear style influenced by the Medici family’s patronage, a period when Florence became a hub for artistic innovation, supported by economic prosperity from trade and banking, per historical records from the Uffizi Gallery.
- The auction sparked debate on cultural heritage, with some arguing its sale abroad (likely to a private collector) diminishes public access, aligning with a 2019 UNESCO report highlighting how 70% of global art auctions involve works leaving their country of origin.
2
later 1480s Madonna of the Magnificat
2022 SOLD for $ 48M by Christie's
The Madonna of the Magnificat is a 118 cm tondo panel painted in tempera ca 1481 by Botticelli and kept at the Galleria degli Uffizi.
Tondi were a fashion of the time for a private devotion and contemplation above eye level. Botticelli managed to have the lines modified to match a perfect view in that position.
The Madonna and Child are surrounded by five angels, two of them holding a crown over Mary's head. The Child raises his head to look at the crown and puts his hand on an illuminated book. The text of the book is identified as two canticles from the Gospel of Luke.
The Madonna holds a quill to write the left page which is the opening of the Magnificat also referred as the Song of Mary. The left hands of Mother and Child join to hold a pomegranate, the heart shaped symbol of the Passion. That co-ordinated movement of the two hands of the two leading characters is beautiful.
Tondi were a fashion of the time for a private devotion and contemplation above eye level. Botticelli managed to have the lines modified to match a perfect view in that position.
The Madonna and Child are surrounded by five angels, two of them holding a crown over Mary's head. The Child raises his head to look at the crown and puts his hand on an illuminated book. The text of the book is identified as two canticles from the Gospel of Luke.
The Madonna holds a quill to write the left page which is the opening of the Magnificat also referred as the Song of Mary. The left hands of Mother and Child join to hold a pomegranate, the heart shaped symbol of the Passion. That co-ordinated movement of the two hands of the two leading characters is beautiful.
On November 9, 2022, Christie's sold for $ 48M a replica of the Madonna of the Magnificat, lot 25.
This tempera, oil and gold on a 63 cm tondo panel is largely autograph as evidenced by underdrawings and pentimenti revealed by infrared and x-ray inspection. The style of the lines argues for a date in the later 1480s.
The composition is simplified to match with the smaller format. The two angels and the crown have been removed, making more mystical the raised gaze of the Child. The three remaining angels are now winged.
Grok thought :
Quote
RobbReport @RobbReport Oct 8, 2022
The work, titled 'Madonna of the Magnificat', will be offered by Christie's this November. https://robbreport.com/shelter/art-collectibles/paul-allen-botticelli-painting-could-sell-for-40-million-1234757991/…
This tempera, oil and gold on a 63 cm tondo panel is largely autograph as evidenced by underdrawings and pentimenti revealed by infrared and x-ray inspection. The style of the lines argues for a date in the later 1480s.
The composition is simplified to match with the smaller format. The two angels and the crown have been removed, making more mystical the raised gaze of the Child. The three remaining angels are now winged.
Grok thought :
Quote
RobbReport @RobbReport Oct 8, 2022
The work, titled 'Madonna of the Magnificat', will be offered by Christie's this November. https://robbreport.com/shelter/art-collectibles/paul-allen-botticelli-painting-could-sell-for-40-million-1234757991/…
- The post announces Christie's November 2022 auction of Sandro Botticelli's circa 1481 tondo 'Madonna of the Magnificat,' a Renaissance devotional work showing the Virgin Mary writing her hymn while crowned by angels and holding the Christ child.
- Sourced from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's collection, the painting highlights Botticelli's Florentine style blending classical humanism with Christian iconography, valued for its intricate detail and emotional depth.
- It sold for $48.4 million, exceeding the $45-65 million estimate and affirming the post-pandemic surge in high-value Old Master sales, with Botticelli pieces appreciating over 20% annually per art market indices.
A selection of works from the collection of the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen—including a work by Cézanne with an estimate in excess of $120m—are on show at @ChristiesInc London this weekend prior to their sale in New York next month. https://t.co/jcI3Jaz2n9
— The Art Newspaper (@TheArtNewspaper) October 15, 2022
Chenghua Chicken Cup
2014 SOLD for HK$ 280M by Sotheby's
n 1464 CE, Chenghua became the eighth Ming Emperor. Politically dominated by his eunuchs and socially by his concubines, he did not leave an indelible mark in history during this reign that lasted 24 years. Inactive after the reign of Xuande, the Jingdezhen kilns were reactivated three decades later by Chenghua.
The blue and white in two hues of the beginning looks similar as Yuan and early Ming styles. The most recent technical innovation is then the doucai, by which other colors could be added through a second firing.
The best period of Chenghua porcelains is the second decade of his reign with the unique technique of the so-called palace bowls. Improvements are made to the choice of materials, enabling a higher temperature.
These pieces are innovative by the extreme care in realizing the porcelain with a dense paste, a transparent and robust glaze, providing a tactile quality that will never be available again.
The doucai color also gets some spectacular progress. Mixing enameled colors over the glaze allows a wide range of shades. The gently curved shapes of their walls are also new, in several variants.
Cups are used for wine and bowls for food. These pieces bearing the imperial mark are mainly made for the use of the principal concubine Wan Guifei whose demands were evidently extreme. They are highly rare and not even found as failed or waste pieces, demonstrating the rigorous surveillance made on site in Jingdezhen by imperial eunuchs.
This limited production was so expensive that the emperor's advisers were able to stop it after about ten years, during the 20th year of the reign corresponding to 1485 CE, two years before the death of the emperor and his concubine.
The drawing is innovative with asymmetrical compositions often adorned with spirals. The chicken cups are prestigious. Bowls are decorated with delicacy and simplicity, with flowers or fruits of botanical accuracy.
The figures of Chenghua ceramics are simple and naive. However, his chicken wine cups had an almost mystical reputation. The rooster is the emperor, and the hen protecting her chicks is his favorite concubine. Wan Guifei herself intervened to improve the quality of imperial porcelains.
One of these wonders is in perfect condition, on a pristine white background, without any crack or scratch. This piece 8.2 cm in diameter is decorated underglaze in cobalt blue and multicolored on its surface.
It was sold for HK $ 29M on April 27, 1999 by Sotheby's, purchased at that sale by Eskenazi. It was sold by Sotheby's on April 8, 2014 for HK $ 280M from a lower estimate of HK $ 200M. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
On October 8, 2013, Sotheby's sold a palace bowl with the Chenghua imperial mark for HK $ 140M, lot 101. It is decorated inside and outside with humble musk-mallows.
380 years earlier the Ru of the Song had been interrupted by the Yuan invasion after only a few years. Similarly, the production of Chenghua bowls did not survive his reign. Easier to execute, the doucai had a great future and is one of the major steps that lead to the perfection of colors of the falangcai under the Qing.
The blue and white in two hues of the beginning looks similar as Yuan and early Ming styles. The most recent technical innovation is then the doucai, by which other colors could be added through a second firing.
The best period of Chenghua porcelains is the second decade of his reign with the unique technique of the so-called palace bowls. Improvements are made to the choice of materials, enabling a higher temperature.
These pieces are innovative by the extreme care in realizing the porcelain with a dense paste, a transparent and robust glaze, providing a tactile quality that will never be available again.
The doucai color also gets some spectacular progress. Mixing enameled colors over the glaze allows a wide range of shades. The gently curved shapes of their walls are also new, in several variants.
Cups are used for wine and bowls for food. These pieces bearing the imperial mark are mainly made for the use of the principal concubine Wan Guifei whose demands were evidently extreme. They are highly rare and not even found as failed or waste pieces, demonstrating the rigorous surveillance made on site in Jingdezhen by imperial eunuchs.
This limited production was so expensive that the emperor's advisers were able to stop it after about ten years, during the 20th year of the reign corresponding to 1485 CE, two years before the death of the emperor and his concubine.
The drawing is innovative with asymmetrical compositions often adorned with spirals. The chicken cups are prestigious. Bowls are decorated with delicacy and simplicity, with flowers or fruits of botanical accuracy.
The figures of Chenghua ceramics are simple and naive. However, his chicken wine cups had an almost mystical reputation. The rooster is the emperor, and the hen protecting her chicks is his favorite concubine. Wan Guifei herself intervened to improve the quality of imperial porcelains.
One of these wonders is in perfect condition, on a pristine white background, without any crack or scratch. This piece 8.2 cm in diameter is decorated underglaze in cobalt blue and multicolored on its surface.
It was sold for HK $ 29M on April 27, 1999 by Sotheby's, purchased at that sale by Eskenazi. It was sold by Sotheby's on April 8, 2014 for HK $ 280M from a lower estimate of HK $ 200M. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
On October 8, 2013, Sotheby's sold a palace bowl with the Chenghua imperial mark for HK $ 140M, lot 101. It is decorated inside and outside with humble musk-mallows.
380 years earlier the Ru of the Song had been interrupted by the Yuan invasion after only a few years. Similarly, the production of Chenghua bowls did not survive his reign. Easier to execute, the doucai had a great future and is one of the major steps that lead to the perfection of colors of the falangcai under the Qing.
1490-1492 Michelangelo after Masaccio
2022 SOLD for € 23M by Christie's
In the 1490s Michelangelo Buonarroti trained by Ghirlandaio used to copy some masterpieces of the Quattrocento for preparing his own paintings. He was specially inspired from Masaccio's fresco Baptism of the Neophytes studied by him in Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence under a Medici patronage before or after Savonarola's bonfires. This practice was recorded by his biographer Vasari in 1568.
Previously attributed to a later minor artist or to the school of Michelangelo, a drawing 33 x 20 cm in pen, two shades of brown ink and brown wash was attributed for the first time in 2019 to the master by an expert at Christie's. Its availability on the international art market had been delayed by a French export ban which is now lifted.
The main character is a full length fleshy young nude in a shivering position that copies the man in the right in Masaccio's Carmine Baptism. Two lesser figures comfort him from behind in a softer hue. Some relief effect is added by skilled hatchings. Remorses have been made with a dark ink, confirming that this piece was a study for a painting by the young master.
This drawing was sold for € 23M by Christie's on May 18, 2022, lot 1. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Influence of Masaccio on Michelangelo's formative years.
The drawing sold by Christie's in Paris on May 18, 2022, as lot 1 in the single-lot auction Michelangelo’s First Nude: A Drawing Rediscovered is Michelangelo Buonarroti's A nude man (after Masaccio) and two figures behind him (also titled A nude young man (after Masaccio) surrounded by two figures). Executed in pen and two shades of brown ink with brown wash (dimensions approx. 33 x 20 cm), it achieved a final sale price of €23,162,000 (including buyer's premium), setting a new auction record for any drawing by Michelangelo.
This work, dated to the late 15th century (likely around 1490–1492, during Michelangelo's formative teenage years in Florence), is widely regarded as his earliest known surviving study of a nude figure. The central figure is a direct copy after Masaccio's depiction of the shivering (or trembling) neophyte in the fresco The Baptism of the Neophytes (c. 1425–1427) from the Brancacci Chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence. Michelangelo rendered the figure in a similar pose but enhanced the musculature for greater definition and anatomical emphasis, while adding two background figures.
This drawing powerfully illustrates Masaccio's profound influence on Michelangelo's early development:
Previously attributed to a later minor artist or to the school of Michelangelo, a drawing 33 x 20 cm in pen, two shades of brown ink and brown wash was attributed for the first time in 2019 to the master by an expert at Christie's. Its availability on the international art market had been delayed by a French export ban which is now lifted.
The main character is a full length fleshy young nude in a shivering position that copies the man in the right in Masaccio's Carmine Baptism. Two lesser figures comfort him from behind in a softer hue. Some relief effect is added by skilled hatchings. Remorses have been made with a dark ink, confirming that this piece was a study for a painting by the young master.
This drawing was sold for € 23M by Christie's on May 18, 2022, lot 1. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Influence of Masaccio on Michelangelo's formative years.
The drawing sold by Christie's in Paris on May 18, 2022, as lot 1 in the single-lot auction Michelangelo’s First Nude: A Drawing Rediscovered is Michelangelo Buonarroti's A nude man (after Masaccio) and two figures behind him (also titled A nude young man (after Masaccio) surrounded by two figures). Executed in pen and two shades of brown ink with brown wash (dimensions approx. 33 x 20 cm), it achieved a final sale price of €23,162,000 (including buyer's premium), setting a new auction record for any drawing by Michelangelo.
This work, dated to the late 15th century (likely around 1490–1492, during Michelangelo's formative teenage years in Florence), is widely regarded as his earliest known surviving study of a nude figure. The central figure is a direct copy after Masaccio's depiction of the shivering (or trembling) neophyte in the fresco The Baptism of the Neophytes (c. 1425–1427) from the Brancacci Chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence. Michelangelo rendered the figure in a similar pose but enhanced the musculature for greater definition and anatomical emphasis, while adding two background figures.
This drawing powerfully illustrates Masaccio's profound influence on Michelangelo's early development:
- Direct copying from Masaccio's Brancacci Chapel frescoes — Michelangelo, as a young apprentice and student in Florence, frequently studied and drew from these groundbreaking early Renaissance frescoes. The Brancaci Chapel, painted by Masaccio (with contributions from Masolino), was a pilgrimage site for artists seeking to learn naturalistic figure rendering, perspective, and emotional expressiveness. Michelangelo's choice to copy the "shivering man" — a figure notable for its realistic portrayal of cold-induced contraction and vulnerability — shows his early engagement with Masaccio's innovative approach to the human body in motion and under environmental stress.
- Anatomical realism and sculptural quality — Masaccio pioneered a monumental, three-dimensional treatment of figures with strong chiaroscuro, foreshortening, and believable anatomy grounded in observation. Michelangelo absorbed this, evident in how he amplified the muscular structure in his copy, transforming Masaccio's already advanced naturalism into something more idealized and powerful — a hallmark that would define his mature style (seen later in works like the David or Sistine Chapel figures).
- Transition from Gothic to Renaissance ideals — In his formative years (c. 1489–1492), Michelangelo was exposed to the Medici Garden sculpture school under Bertoldo di Giovanni and absorbed the legacy of ancient sculpture alongside contemporary Florentine masters. However, Masaccio represented the bridge to true Renaissance figure painting. Vasari notes Michelangelo's admiration for Masaccio, recounting how the young artist spent significant time drawing from the Brancacci frescoes. This drawing exemplifies that practice: it captures Masaccio's emphasis on volume, weight, and human dignity rather than decorative linearity.
- Broader formative context — Michelangelo entered Domenico Ghirlandaio's workshop around 1488 but soon moved to the Medici circle, where access to antique works and Masaccio's innovations shaped his focus on the nude as the core of artistic expression. This early study of a nude — rare for the period outside classical contexts — foreshadows Michelangelo's lifelong obsession with the male nude as a vehicle for conveying anatomy, movement, and inner tension.
First it was Raphael making $38m; then da Vinci made $11.8m; now a rediscovered Michelangelo is looking for $33m @christiesparis this Mayhttps://t.co/oXmswtdga3 pic.twitter.com/BNt64YAPzg
— LiveArt (@artmarket) April 5, 2022
