This artwork is an accomplishment of the mutual influence of Zao Wou-Ki (Zhao Wuji) and Zhang Daqian.
Working then for thirty years in France, Zao is finally applauded in Asia in 1981 and 1982 with an exhibition tour of his art in Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Zhang Daqian, who then resides in Taiwan, is interested in Zao's abstract approach continuously borderline from a figurative evocation.
In 1982 Zhang painted his ultimate masterpiece, Peach Blossom Spring, which is both his lost paradise and his hope for spring renewal. This 209 x 92 cm hanging scroll was sold for HK $ 270M including premium by Sotheby's on April 5, 2016. In 1983 the two artists met in Taipei a few weeks before Zhang's death.
25.06.86 and Peach Blossom Spring have much in common : the vertical format, the composition in large zones of opposite densities, each one consisting of a mingle of delicate hues, and the sharp lines in the foreground over the lower edge. We can also compare the transparent layers of Zao's paint with Zhang's signature ink splashes. 25.06.86 is close to the display of a large waterfall veiling the lower rocks and falling onto a lake.
SOLD for HK$ 44M including premium
Asian 20th Century and Contemporary Art
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