2017
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : Russia Canada Yoshitomo Nara Mountains in China Cui Ruzhuo
See also : Russia Canada Yoshitomo Nara Mountains in China Cui Ruzhuo
2017 CUI RUZHUO
1
Twelve Screens of Landscape
2017 SOLD for RMB 240M by Poly
Cui Ruzhuo assembles polyptychs composed of vertical panels painted in line and wash on paper in his signature finger ink technique. A single monumental work may occupy a full wall in an exhibition.
The themes chosen by Cui appeal to the Chinese sensitivity. On the theme of the lotus, an assembly of eight scrolls 247 x 123 cm each was sold for HK $ 124M by Christie's on 29 November 2011, the very year of the creation of that work.
The favorite theme of Cui is the unlimited landscape of snowy mountains, eternally indifferent to men. A set of eight panels made in 2005 for a total size of 202 x 988 cm was sold for HK $ 77M by Christie's on May 28, 2013, lot 1347.
From October 2013 Poly Hong Kong had managed twice a year an auction session entirely devoted to Cui, titled Glossiness of uncarved jade. The Grand Snowing Mountains, inspired by Jiangnan, painted in ink and color on paper in 2013, was sold in 2016 for HK $ 307M.
A mounted set of twelve elements 216 x 76 cm painted in 2017 by Cui Ruzhuo was sold for RMB 240M by Poly on December 17, 2017. It is illustrated in the post sale report shared by The Value. The reported title, Twelve screens of finger ink landscape, refers to Cui's signature painting technique.
The themes chosen by Cui appeal to the Chinese sensitivity. On the theme of the lotus, an assembly of eight scrolls 247 x 123 cm each was sold for HK $ 124M by Christie's on 29 November 2011, the very year of the creation of that work.
The favorite theme of Cui is the unlimited landscape of snowy mountains, eternally indifferent to men. A set of eight panels made in 2005 for a total size of 202 x 988 cm was sold for HK $ 77M by Christie's on May 28, 2013, lot 1347.
From October 2013 Poly Hong Kong had managed twice a year an auction session entirely devoted to Cui, titled Glossiness of uncarved jade. The Grand Snowing Mountains, inspired by Jiangnan, painted in ink and color on paper in 2013, was sold in 2016 for HK $ 307M.
A mounted set of twelve elements 216 x 76 cm painted in 2017 by Cui Ruzhuo was sold for RMB 240M by Poly on December 17, 2017. It is illustrated in the post sale report shared by The Value. The reported title, Twelve screens of finger ink landscape, refers to Cui's signature painting technique.
2
Snowy Mountains
2018 SOLD for HK$ 170M by China Guardian
Snowy Mountains, ink and color on paper 178 x 470 cm painted in 2017 by Cui Ruzhuo, was sold for HK $ 170M by China Guardian on October 3, 2018, lot 1446.
2017 The Spirit of the Rose
2020 SOLD for CHF 24.4M by Sotheby's
The Yakutia region, which has become the Sakha Republic, has been for half a century one of the best producers of pink diamonds, operated by the Russian company Alrosa.
A gem discovered in 2017 is a purple pink diamond of exceptional weight, 27.85 carats. Prepared in Russia, the diamond has retained the elongated shape of the rough stone, allowing a sensational yield of over 50%. It weighs 14.83 carats and is certified Fancy Vivid Purple Pink and Internally Flawless by the GIA. Its oval modified brilliant cut perfectly reveals both colors.
Much rarer than the Fancy Vivid Pink or the Fancy Intense Pink, the Fancy Vivid Purple Pink shows a perfect balance between its two colors, unlike the Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink which has a pink dominant.
The company gave the raw gem the name Nijinsky, in memory of the costume adorned with rose petals worn in 1911 in Monte Carlo by the Russian dancer in the memorable ballet Le Spectre de la Rose. The finished diamond was named The Spirit of the Rose when it was announced in August 2019. It was sold for CHF 24.4M on November 11, 2020 by Sotheby's, lot 204. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
A Fancy Vivid Purple Pink weighing 8.41 carats, also Internally Flawless, was sold by Sotheby's on October 7, 2014 for HK $ 138M, making US $ 2.1M per carat, one of the highest results recorded in the whole range of pink diamonds.
With identical characteristics and an optimized shape, bigger diamonds are more expensive per carat. The higher estimate of The Spirit, CHF 35M, corresponds to more than US $ 2.5M per carat before fees.
A gem discovered in 2017 is a purple pink diamond of exceptional weight, 27.85 carats. Prepared in Russia, the diamond has retained the elongated shape of the rough stone, allowing a sensational yield of over 50%. It weighs 14.83 carats and is certified Fancy Vivid Purple Pink and Internally Flawless by the GIA. Its oval modified brilliant cut perfectly reveals both colors.
Much rarer than the Fancy Vivid Pink or the Fancy Intense Pink, the Fancy Vivid Purple Pink shows a perfect balance between its two colors, unlike the Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink which has a pink dominant.
The company gave the raw gem the name Nijinsky, in memory of the costume adorned with rose petals worn in 1911 in Monte Carlo by the Russian dancer in the memorable ballet Le Spectre de la Rose. The finished diamond was named The Spirit of the Rose when it was announced in August 2019. It was sold for CHF 24.4M on November 11, 2020 by Sotheby's, lot 204. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
A Fancy Vivid Purple Pink weighing 8.41 carats, also Internally Flawless, was sold by Sotheby's on October 7, 2014 for HK $ 138M, making US $ 2.1M per carat, one of the highest results recorded in the whole range of pink diamonds.
With identical characteristics and an optimized shape, bigger diamonds are more expensive per carat. The higher estimate of The Spirit, CHF 35M, corresponds to more than US $ 2.5M per carat before fees.
2017 La Légende by Boehmer et Bassenge
2017 SOLD for CHF 14.8M by Christie's
The heart shape is a romantic symbol. For a diamond it is a technical feat. The heart is a modified brilliant. It is the only configuration of a diamond carved to include concave surfaces.
The difficulty consists in achieving a geometric balance without disparity between the two halves of the heart while maintaining a perfect sharpness in the cleft. Any mistake appears ridiculous to a demanding user.
A heart shaped diamond type IIa, D color, Internally flawless clarity, weighing 56.15 carats was sold for CHF 9.6M by Christie's on May 18, 2011.
On May 17, 2017, Christie's sold for CHF 14.8M La Légende by Boehmer et Bassenge, lot 228.
This jewel is centered on a heart shaped diamond D, IIa, Flawless weighing 92.15 carats. The GIA recognized its excellent symmetry and polish. It is hanging through two small circular diamonds to a 93 cm long sautoir necklace of cultured pearls mounted in platinum.
The difficulty consists in achieving a geometric balance without disparity between the two halves of the heart while maintaining a perfect sharpness in the cleft. Any mistake appears ridiculous to a demanding user.
A heart shaped diamond type IIa, D color, Internally flawless clarity, weighing 56.15 carats was sold for CHF 9.6M by Christie's on May 18, 2011.
On May 17, 2017, Christie's sold for CHF 14.8M La Légende by Boehmer et Bassenge, lot 228.
This jewel is centered on a heart shaped diamond D, IIa, Flawless weighing 92.15 carats. The GIA recognized its excellent symmetry and polish. It is hanging through two small circular diamonds to a 93 cm long sautoir necklace of cultured pearls mounted in platinum.
2017 Victor 10239
2020 SOLD for HK$ 122M by Sotheby's
The south of the African continent has produced a number of perfect diamonds, of which it is the best source since the depletion of the Golconda mines. Africa, however, does not have exclusivity.
Prospecting is no longer the result of chance. The diamond rises in the magma during a volcanic eruption. Its possible presence is revealed by the kimberlite, an igneous rock which serves to it as a gangue in the volcanic pipe after cooling.
Since the 1960s, De Beers has searched for kimberlite in Canada. From 2008 to 2019, they operated the open pit Victor Mine on the territory of the Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario. On October 5, 2020, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 122M a perfect diamond named Victor 10239, lot 1818. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
The rough stone, mined in 2017, weighed 217 carats, possibly the largest pure diamond found at Victor. Diacore cut an oval brilliant with an excellent symmetry without going below the mythical threshold of 100 carats. It weighs 102.39 carats with the highest possible clarity and the D color of the highest transparency, and its chemical purity is the best, the Type IIa. The oval brilliant cut intensifies the transparency just like the round brilliant for smaller diamonds.
The perfect clarity is the Flawless, with no visible inclusion at x60 magnification. Internally Flawless represents the same inner clarity but admits some slight blemish on the surface.
We will compare it to an African diamond of the same brilliant oval shape, also Flawless, weighing 118.28 carats with the same certification of excellent polishing and excellent symmetry. It was sold for HK $ 240M by Sotheby's on October 7, 2013, which is HK $ 2M per carat.
Prospecting is no longer the result of chance. The diamond rises in the magma during a volcanic eruption. Its possible presence is revealed by the kimberlite, an igneous rock which serves to it as a gangue in the volcanic pipe after cooling.
Since the 1960s, De Beers has searched for kimberlite in Canada. From 2008 to 2019, they operated the open pit Victor Mine on the territory of the Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario. On October 5, 2020, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 122M a perfect diamond named Victor 10239, lot 1818. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
The rough stone, mined in 2017, weighed 217 carats, possibly the largest pure diamond found at Victor. Diacore cut an oval brilliant with an excellent symmetry without going below the mythical threshold of 100 carats. It weighs 102.39 carats with the highest possible clarity and the D color of the highest transparency, and its chemical purity is the best, the Type IIa. The oval brilliant cut intensifies the transparency just like the round brilliant for smaller diamonds.
The perfect clarity is the Flawless, with no visible inclusion at x60 magnification. Internally Flawless represents the same inner clarity but admits some slight blemish on the surface.
We will compare it to an African diamond of the same brilliant oval shape, also Flawless, weighing 118.28 carats with the same certification of excellent polishing and excellent symmetry. It was sold for HK $ 240M by Sotheby's on October 7, 2013, which is HK $ 2M per carat.
BID NOW! In an unprecedented move, this Highly Important 102.39 Carat D Colour Flawless Oval Diamond will be offered without reserve. Online bidding opens today and will culminate in a single-lot live auction at #SothebysHongKong on 5 Oct. Read more: https://t.co/tU1x8hoJan pic.twitter.com/XVTAhpCFsm
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) September 15, 2020
2017 hexagonal landscapes by HOCKNEY
Intro
The landscape should be the most authentic expression of nature. In the 20th century, the theme became boring, in large part due to the overabundance of photographs. In his permanent desire to act against the tide, David Hockney manages to rehabilitate the landscape.
He has a revelation in a road tunnel in 1985. The dot of light he sees beyond the darkness grows larger as the car moves forward. Photography lies doubly, because it shows the landscape from a still point of view and because the lens brings distortions. To paint a landscape, it will first be necessary to abolish perspective. The old Chinese masters understood it : their hand scrolls are travellings.
The division of an image into sections had been made necessary by the small individual format of the paper pulps prints, a technique tested by the artist in 1978. He applies this principle to painting, with the panoramic views of the Grand Canyon in 1998. and the woods in Yorkshire in 2006. In 2007 Bigger Trees near Warter, also in Yorkshire, measures 460 x 1220 cm overall in 50 panels which cancel the distortion.
He has a revelation in a road tunnel in 1985. The dot of light he sees beyond the darkness grows larger as the car moves forward. Photography lies doubly, because it shows the landscape from a still point of view and because the lens brings distortions. To paint a landscape, it will first be necessary to abolish perspective. The old Chinese masters understood it : their hand scrolls are travellings.
The division of an image into sections had been made necessary by the small individual format of the paper pulps prints, a technique tested by the artist in 1978. He applies this principle to painting, with the panoramic views of the Grand Canyon in 1998. and the woods in Yorkshire in 2006. In 2007 Bigger Trees near Warter, also in Yorkshire, measures 460 x 1220 cm overall in 50 panels which cancel the distortion.
1
Garrowby Hill
2022 SOLD for £ 14M by Sotheby's
Hollywood had made David Hockney a keen landscape painter. Down from his residence at the top of the hills, he enjoys the meanders of the highway that runs within the vivid and pure colors of the Californian countryside.
He soon considers that the hills of his beloved pastoral East Yorkshire lit by a bright summer sun are not really different. The meander of the road takes the whole foreground in a view of Garrowby Hill, oil on canvas 152 x 193 cm painted in 1998 kept at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
In 2017, then aged 80, David manages to get rid of the classical perspective through clipped canvases that reduce the surface of an uninteresting foreground.
A rectangular format with cut away lower corners fits that fight of the artist against the classical perspective. A shaped remake of Garrowby Hill, acrylic on canvas 122 x 244 cm overall painted in 2017, was sold for £ 14M from a lower estimate of £ 7.5M by Sotheby's on March 2, 2022, lot 124.
In 2017 Hockney revisited his monumental Grand Canyon theme of 1998, in the same shaped format and size as the Garrowby Hill. This remake was sold for $ 11M by Sotheby's on May 19, 2022, lot 104. The glowing color in a grand scale was inspired from Thomas Moran.
Also in 2017 David makes other attempts to get rid of the classical perspective. Tall Dutch Trees after Hobbema, 165 x 370 cm overall in 6 six irregular parts, is a complex demonstrator. This 'useful knowledge' trial, according to the subtitle of that work, was sold for £ 6.8M by Sotheby's on March 25, 2021, lot 117.
He soon considers that the hills of his beloved pastoral East Yorkshire lit by a bright summer sun are not really different. The meander of the road takes the whole foreground in a view of Garrowby Hill, oil on canvas 152 x 193 cm painted in 1998 kept at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
In 2017, then aged 80, David manages to get rid of the classical perspective through clipped canvases that reduce the surface of an uninteresting foreground.
A rectangular format with cut away lower corners fits that fight of the artist against the classical perspective. A shaped remake of Garrowby Hill, acrylic on canvas 122 x 244 cm overall painted in 2017, was sold for £ 14M from a lower estimate of £ 7.5M by Sotheby's on March 2, 2022, lot 124.
In 2017 Hockney revisited his monumental Grand Canyon theme of 1998, in the same shaped format and size as the Garrowby Hill. This remake was sold for $ 11M by Sotheby's on May 19, 2022, lot 104. The glowing color in a grand scale was inspired from Thomas Moran.
Also in 2017 David makes other attempts to get rid of the classical perspective. Tall Dutch Trees after Hobbema, 165 x 370 cm overall in 6 six irregular parts, is a complex demonstrator. This 'useful knowledge' trial, according to the subtitle of that work, was sold for £ 6.8M by Sotheby's on March 25, 2021, lot 117.
2
Nichols Canyon
2022 SOLD for HK$ 95M by Sotheby's
David Hockney also reprocessed Nichols Canyon in his 2017 collection of the preferred landscapes of his life.
In the same hexagonal format 122 x 244 cm overall as the examples above, Nichols Canyon III, acrylic on canvas, was sold for HK $ 95M by Christie's on May 26, 2022, lot 26. That bird's eye view without a foreground does not justify its truncated format.
In the same hexagonal format 122 x 244 cm overall as the examples above, Nichols Canyon III, acrylic on canvas, was sold for HK $ 95M by Christie's on May 26, 2022, lot 26. That bird's eye view without a foreground does not justify its truncated format.
2017 I want to see the Bright Lights Tonight by Nara
2024 SOLD for HK$ 96M by Sotheby's
A series of typical larger than life bust length portraits of Yoshitomo Nara's small girl marks a synthesis of his mood after the 2011 earthquake. Carefully applied multiple layers of paint bring a tonal richness around the pastel skin colors.
The full frontal face is expressing a candid expectation, with her wide open slightly diverging eyes and thin straight mouth. The strict symmetrical hairstyle displayed on some opuses of that series further invites the viewer to concentrate on the expression.
A title in this series is Night Truce, evoking the mysterious malaise of modern world. Another title is I want to see the bright lights tonight, from a desperate 1974 lyrics by Richard Thompson.
The latter example illustrated the cover of a 2020 monograph of the artist. Hair and cloth are painted in softly iridescent autumnal hues over a chartreuse background. The original art, acrylic on canvas 220 x 195 cm, was sold for HK $ 96M from a lower estimate of HK $ 80M by Sotheby's on April 5, 2024, lot 1539.
The full frontal face is expressing a candid expectation, with her wide open slightly diverging eyes and thin straight mouth. The strict symmetrical hairstyle displayed on some opuses of that series further invites the viewer to concentrate on the expression.
A title in this series is Night Truce, evoking the mysterious malaise of modern world. Another title is I want to see the bright lights tonight, from a desperate 1974 lyrics by Richard Thompson.
The latter example illustrated the cover of a 2020 monograph of the artist. Hair and cloth are painted in softly iridescent autumnal hues over a chartreuse background. The original art, acrylic on canvas 220 x 195 cm, was sold for HK $ 96M from a lower estimate of HK $ 80M by Sotheby's on April 5, 2024, lot 1539.
2017 CryptoPunks
1
Set of Nine CryptoPunks
2021 SOLD for $ 17M by Christie's
Larva Labs was established in 2005 by two Canadian software developers, Matt and John. Their New York based business is to release art projects to the blockchain.
Nobody can ignore the infinite variety of items generated by the combinations of figures of the utmost simplicity. Barcodes in single line or square supersede the classical labels. Color is welcomed. The quantum for a photo is the pixel whose transfer into a digital code is direct.
The two technologists managed in 2017 the CryptoPunks project. Each image was coded in a 24 x 24, 8 bit pixel square. This size may seem very low but is sufficient to stylize a head with varying attributes. The title is a direct reference to the punk movement when the misfits marked their differences by extravagant hair dressing and make up.
Matt and John created exactly 10,000 CryptoPunks, most of them male or female but also a small population of green skinned zombies, hirsute apes and light blue skinned aliens. Each figure is further defined by its distinctive accessories which bring it a human individuality, from zero for the basic Punks to seven accessories for the most complex.
The CryptoPunks were originally released on the Ethereum blockchain, making it the seminal NFT supported art project. Some of them were immediately offered for trade. Once sold, they do not belong any more to Larva Labs but their website records in the dedicated page of each item its transaction tracking beside the rarity of its accessories.
The CryptoPunks are one of the leading elements of the new craze for blockchain art, which escapes the world health lockdown by its lack of physical existence and as a consequence manages to redefine art.
A set of nine was sold for $ 17M from a lower estimate of $ 7M by Christie's on May 11, 2021, lot 11 A. They have been sorted 'ex factory' for that sale by the two guys at Larva Labs from the unsold items within the sub-1,000 reference number range. The auction house accepts the Ether cryptocurrency for this lot.
This assembly is made of four males, four females and one alien, with one to four accessories, displaying altogether 18 different accessories.
Collectors will be appealed by the Punk 2, a female with wild hair which has the third lowest number in the series after 0 and 1, and by the Punk 635 which is the only alien with a sub-1,000 series number.
On March 11, 2021, a price of 4,200 ether worth at that date US $ 7.58M was paid twice in separate private transactions : for the Punk 3100, an alien with a headband as its unique accessory, and for the Punk 7804, the unique pipe smoking alien which also has a cap forward and small shades.
Nobody can ignore the infinite variety of items generated by the combinations of figures of the utmost simplicity. Barcodes in single line or square supersede the classical labels. Color is welcomed. The quantum for a photo is the pixel whose transfer into a digital code is direct.
The two technologists managed in 2017 the CryptoPunks project. Each image was coded in a 24 x 24, 8 bit pixel square. This size may seem very low but is sufficient to stylize a head with varying attributes. The title is a direct reference to the punk movement when the misfits marked their differences by extravagant hair dressing and make up.
Matt and John created exactly 10,000 CryptoPunks, most of them male or female but also a small population of green skinned zombies, hirsute apes and light blue skinned aliens. Each figure is further defined by its distinctive accessories which bring it a human individuality, from zero for the basic Punks to seven accessories for the most complex.
The CryptoPunks were originally released on the Ethereum blockchain, making it the seminal NFT supported art project. Some of them were immediately offered for trade. Once sold, they do not belong any more to Larva Labs but their website records in the dedicated page of each item its transaction tracking beside the rarity of its accessories.
The CryptoPunks are one of the leading elements of the new craze for blockchain art, which escapes the world health lockdown by its lack of physical existence and as a consequence manages to redefine art.
A set of nine was sold for $ 17M from a lower estimate of $ 7M by Christie's on May 11, 2021, lot 11 A. They have been sorted 'ex factory' for that sale by the two guys at Larva Labs from the unsold items within the sub-1,000 reference number range. The auction house accepts the Ether cryptocurrency for this lot.
This assembly is made of four males, four females and one alien, with one to four accessories, displaying altogether 18 different accessories.
Collectors will be appealed by the Punk 2, a female with wild hair which has the third lowest number in the series after 0 and 1, and by the Punk 635 which is the only alien with a sub-1,000 series number.
On March 11, 2021, a price of 4,200 ether worth at that date US $ 7.58M was paid twice in separate private transactions : for the Punk 3100, an alien with a headband as its unique accessory, and for the Punk 7804, the unique pipe smoking alien which also has a cap forward and small shades.
2
Alien CryptoPunk with Medical Mask
2021 SOLD for $ 11.8M by Sotheby's
When they designed the full and unique series of 10,000 CryptoPunks in 2017, Larva Labs divided unevenly their types and accessories, like in a human community. Each of them is a single character in the crowd, with no other identification than its passport number from 0 to 9999.
The rarest type is the Alien, with a population of only 9. Although it is only different by the color of the skin, it is leading the craze of the new collectors of NFT supported digital art. The two most recent Alien prices in private sales were at 4.2 KE and another one was the star in the group of 9 sold by Christie's in May 2021.
Nobody had predicted in 2017 that the medical mask would become the symbol of the impairing life conditions of the 2020s. Previous art by Richard Prince or Banksy featuring a masked character is now eagerly wanted.
175 Punks, i.e. 1.75 % of their population, have the medical mask. In the last two months all sale prices of masked Punks recorded through the blockchain exceed 16 E.
The Alien number 7523 wears a medical mask, which is statistically a chance from a probability of about 10 % that one of the Aliens receives that accessory. Or perhaps the accessories were not randomly attributed by the algorithm. 7523 has two other accessories, the common Earrings and the uncommon Knitted cap. It was sold for $ 11.8M by Sotheby's on June 10, 2021, lot 1.
The rarest type is the Alien, with a population of only 9. Although it is only different by the color of the skin, it is leading the craze of the new collectors of NFT supported digital art. The two most recent Alien prices in private sales were at 4.2 KE and another one was the star in the group of 9 sold by Christie's in May 2021.
Nobody had predicted in 2017 that the medical mask would become the symbol of the impairing life conditions of the 2020s. Previous art by Richard Prince or Banksy featuring a masked character is now eagerly wanted.
175 Punks, i.e. 1.75 % of their population, have the medical mask. In the last two months all sale prices of masked Punks recorded through the blockchain exceed 16 E.
The Alien number 7523 wears a medical mask, which is statistically a chance from a probability of about 10 % that one of the Aliens receives that accessory. Or perhaps the accessories were not randomly attributed by the algorithm. 7523 has two other accessories, the common Earrings and the uncommon Knitted cap. It was sold for $ 11.8M by Sotheby's on June 10, 2021, lot 1.
