SANYU (1895 or 1901-1966)
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : Modern China Sanyu < 1950
Chronology : 1929 1931 1952 1955 1956 1965
See also : Modern China Sanyu < 1950
Chronology : 1929 1931 1952 1955 1956 1965
1929 Femme Nue sur un Tapis
2023 SOLD for HK$ 187M by Christie's
Born in a family of wealthy silk industrialists, Sanyu (Chang Yu) had early skills for black ink and calligraphy. From 1923 he lives mainly in Montmartre and Montparnasse. Passionate about the Parisian life and its cabarets, he discovers with delight at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière that young women exhibit their nudity for artists and students.
He realizes countless drawings combining the effectiveness of the line of traditional Chinese style with this sensual theme taboo at that time in his country. Possibly influenced by Modigliani's nudes, Sanyu fully materializes the idea of the dominance of a sharp minimalist undulating line which accentuates the erotic invitation.
Beyond his very good understanding of both Asian and Western arts, his approach is highly original : the emotion can come from the balance between the surfaces delimited by the lines. Figurative details, proportions and perspectives are subsidiary. Cézanne was right : art cannot copy nature.
Before 1929 the practice by Sanyu of the oil on canvas had been very limited. Femme nue sur un tapis, 81 x 130 cm, is an early example, illustrated in a Shanghai magazine in February 1929 and two months later in a German magazine beside a reclining female nude on a bed by Suzanne Valadon. It was lauded at that time as a Western subject in Oriental tones.
The black haired woman is reclining on her belly on a white carpet posed on a bright red floor. The view of the face is limited to one wide opened eye. In this arguably experimental work, the clumsy shape is made with no effort to display the natural proportions of a female body but the contours are underlined by a regular shadow in a reference to antique Chinese paintings. The model has the bobbed hairstyle of the artists' muse Kiki de Montparnasse. The carpet is illustrated with animal figures in motion to be read as homophonic Chinese puns.
This painting had Roché as its first owner but possibly predates Sanyu's first encounter in 1929 with his sponsor. It was sold for HK $ 187M from a lower estimate of HK $ 100M by Christie's on November 28, 2023, lot 11.
He realizes countless drawings combining the effectiveness of the line of traditional Chinese style with this sensual theme taboo at that time in his country. Possibly influenced by Modigliani's nudes, Sanyu fully materializes the idea of the dominance of a sharp minimalist undulating line which accentuates the erotic invitation.
Beyond his very good understanding of both Asian and Western arts, his approach is highly original : the emotion can come from the balance between the surfaces delimited by the lines. Figurative details, proportions and perspectives are subsidiary. Cézanne was right : art cannot copy nature.
Before 1929 the practice by Sanyu of the oil on canvas had been very limited. Femme nue sur un tapis, 81 x 130 cm, is an early example, illustrated in a Shanghai magazine in February 1929 and two months later in a German magazine beside a reclining female nude on a bed by Suzanne Valadon. It was lauded at that time as a Western subject in Oriental tones.
The black haired woman is reclining on her belly on a white carpet posed on a bright red floor. The view of the face is limited to one wide opened eye. In this arguably experimental work, the clumsy shape is made with no effort to display the natural proportions of a female body but the contours are underlined by a regular shadow in a reference to antique Chinese paintings. The model has the bobbed hairstyle of the artists' muse Kiki de Montparnasse. The carpet is illustrated with animal figures in motion to be read as homophonic Chinese puns.
This painting had Roché as its first owner but possibly predates Sanyu's first encounter in 1929 with his sponsor. It was sold for HK $ 187M from a lower estimate of HK $ 100M by Christie's on November 28, 2023, lot 11.
1931 Chrysanthèmes Roses
2020 SOLD for HK$ 138M by Christie's
Born in a family of wealthy silk industrialists, Sanyu (Chang Yu) had early skills for black ink and calligraphy. From 1923 he lives mainly in Montmartre and Montparnasse. Passionate about the Parisian life and its cabarets, he discovers with delight at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière that young women exhibit their nudity for artists and students.
He realizes countless drawings combining the effectiveness of the line of traditional Chinese style with this sensual theme taboo at that time in his country. Possibly influenced by Modigliani's nudes, Sanyu fully materializes the idea of the dominance of a sharp minimalist undulating line which accentuates the erotic invitation.
Beyond his very good understanding of both Asian and Western arts, his approach is highly original : the emotion can come from the balance between the surfaces delimited by the lines. Figurative details, proportions and perspectives are subsidiary. Cézanne was right : art cannot copy nature.
The meeting with the flamboyant collector Henri-Pierre Roché in 1929 is decisive for Sanyu. A friend of Leo and Gertrude Stein, Roché plays a role of discoverer of talents in the avant-garde communities of Montparnasse. He promises Sanyu to buy all his future works. Sanyu experienced also the drypoint engraving under Roché's influence.
Liberated from material constraints, the young Chinese gives free impulse to his creativity. He adds colors according to Roché's recommendation to practice the oil painting. With this technique then new for him, Sanyu explores other artistic possibilities in a three centuries old theme : the bouquet of flowers in a vase.
Oil painting was indeed the best suited technique for his creativity. He will paint directly on the canvas without a sketch, like Chinese calligraphers are doing on paper.
The precision of the line offsets the succinctness. The colors are limited to the extreme. Influenced by the Chinese principle of five inks, he also manages to reduce the contrasts : with a single pigment, the variation in colors is obtained by differences in thickness.
At first the pink color provides the best demonstration of these new theories. It is common to the most beautiful flowers and to the skin of women and its low contrast over the white can achieve great subtlety.
On December 2, 2020, Christie's sold for HK $ 23M Chrysanthèmes blanches, oil on canvas 46 x 27 cm painted in 1929, lot 122 estimated HK $ 10M. The large flowers and their pot are painted in pure white on a pale pink background. The geometries are simple.
Also painted in 1929, a study of roses in a white pitcher on a white background, oil on canvas 73 x 50 cm, was sold for HK $ 59M by Poly on October 5, 2015.
Here are four examples from 1931 : Deux gros hortensias roses dans un vase blanc, 73 x 50 cm, was sold for € 4.1M by Aguttes on June 1, 2015. Chrysanthèmes roses dans un vase blanc, 100 x 70 cm, was sold for HK $ 55M by Poly on April 3, 2017 and Bouquet de roses dans un vase blanc, 81 x 50 cm, for HK $ 47M by Christie's on November 22, 2014. Bouquet de marguerites, 81 x 45 cm painted in January 1931, was sold for HK $ 51M by Christie's on November 25, 2017.
Chrysanthèmes roses dans une corbeille, an oil on canvas 92 x 60 cm painted in 1931 which had not been owned by Roché, was sold for HK $ 138M from a lower estimate of HK $ 68M by Christie's on December 2, 2020, lot 123. The tight bouquet in a basket is framed in the tall handle and displayed over a black background.
The studies in pink and white are encouraging. Sanyu is then introducing new colors in his pictures of flowers, but always in limited numbers. Non-essential parts of the image are drawn in simplified broad lines. A dark navy blue or a black brings a three-dimensionality.
Sanyu had a temperamental personality. He was jealous of his art which he believed deserved to be better paid. After a phase of high creativity, he had to face great difficulties after the death of his brother in 1931 and soon broke up with Roché.
His vision of women's bodies changes radically around that time, from sensuality to mystical idealization. These women remain models as at the time of the Grande Chaumière. They have no psychological dimension, and are most often lying on the back or reclining. They offer the beauty of their bare skin while sleeping, like Marie-Thérèse for Picasso. Realism of proportions no longer matters. He lengthens torso and legs, and deliberately shrinks the head which is not interesting him.
These nudes are white and then pink. They are placed on a carpet like starfish on the beach. The rugs are often decorated with small Chinese-style drawings, probably to reveal the origin of the artist. The contours of the body become thinner and the contrasts of colors take on pastel shades.
A reclining nude 81 x 130 cm painted in 1931 is perhaps one of the earliest in its style if we consider the garish color of the carpet. It was sold for HK $ 16.3M by Sotheby's on October 3, 2011.
After the termination of his co-operation with Roché in 1931, Sanyu stops dating his artworks, perhaps because he shall give more attention to his creativity than to trade. The chronology of his art is uneasy to analyze.
Largely from Roché, Sanyu had understood the expressive qualities of oil painting. A pink nude painted by Sanyu in the 1930s, oil on board 47 x 82 cm, was sold for HK $ 14M by Sotheby's on October 4, 2010, lot 277, and for HK $ 59M by Poly on October 3, 2016, lot 133. The woman is lying on her back on a white blanket with floral pattern. She is quietly sleeping with arms around her head and with tight legs. This nearly monochromatic composition is overwhelmed by the vivid pink flesh of this Parisian woman with a blonde hair.
In a very similar style, an oil on canvas 45 x 81 cm titled Nu Rose sur Tissus Chinois was sold for HK $ 50M by Sotheby's in Hong Kong on October 5, 2019, lot 1030. It had belonged to Roché, which does not allow to identify if it was acquired before or after their quarrel.
On December 18, 2017, Aguttes sold for € 8.8M a still life showing a peony plant in a flower pot, oil on canvas 92 x 64 cm visible in a photo made in 1933 or 1934, lot 12.
This painting is made in minimalist colors consistent with the Roché period : the black and grays of the calligraphic line and the pink of the nudes. The staging of this plant with sharp lines is both effective and strange, like a colored negative succeeding his previous positive compositions on a light background. Leaves lined and ribbed with white are transparent in front of the black background like the skeletal leaves of a memento mori.
After the war Sanyu will prefer to work on masonite panels.
He realizes countless drawings combining the effectiveness of the line of traditional Chinese style with this sensual theme taboo at that time in his country. Possibly influenced by Modigliani's nudes, Sanyu fully materializes the idea of the dominance of a sharp minimalist undulating line which accentuates the erotic invitation.
Beyond his very good understanding of both Asian and Western arts, his approach is highly original : the emotion can come from the balance between the surfaces delimited by the lines. Figurative details, proportions and perspectives are subsidiary. Cézanne was right : art cannot copy nature.
The meeting with the flamboyant collector Henri-Pierre Roché in 1929 is decisive for Sanyu. A friend of Leo and Gertrude Stein, Roché plays a role of discoverer of talents in the avant-garde communities of Montparnasse. He promises Sanyu to buy all his future works. Sanyu experienced also the drypoint engraving under Roché's influence.
Liberated from material constraints, the young Chinese gives free impulse to his creativity. He adds colors according to Roché's recommendation to practice the oil painting. With this technique then new for him, Sanyu explores other artistic possibilities in a three centuries old theme : the bouquet of flowers in a vase.
Oil painting was indeed the best suited technique for his creativity. He will paint directly on the canvas without a sketch, like Chinese calligraphers are doing on paper.
The precision of the line offsets the succinctness. The colors are limited to the extreme. Influenced by the Chinese principle of five inks, he also manages to reduce the contrasts : with a single pigment, the variation in colors is obtained by differences in thickness.
At first the pink color provides the best demonstration of these new theories. It is common to the most beautiful flowers and to the skin of women and its low contrast over the white can achieve great subtlety.
On December 2, 2020, Christie's sold for HK $ 23M Chrysanthèmes blanches, oil on canvas 46 x 27 cm painted in 1929, lot 122 estimated HK $ 10M. The large flowers and their pot are painted in pure white on a pale pink background. The geometries are simple.
Also painted in 1929, a study of roses in a white pitcher on a white background, oil on canvas 73 x 50 cm, was sold for HK $ 59M by Poly on October 5, 2015.
Here are four examples from 1931 : Deux gros hortensias roses dans un vase blanc, 73 x 50 cm, was sold for € 4.1M by Aguttes on June 1, 2015. Chrysanthèmes roses dans un vase blanc, 100 x 70 cm, was sold for HK $ 55M by Poly on April 3, 2017 and Bouquet de roses dans un vase blanc, 81 x 50 cm, for HK $ 47M by Christie's on November 22, 2014. Bouquet de marguerites, 81 x 45 cm painted in January 1931, was sold for HK $ 51M by Christie's on November 25, 2017.
Chrysanthèmes roses dans une corbeille, an oil on canvas 92 x 60 cm painted in 1931 which had not been owned by Roché, was sold for HK $ 138M from a lower estimate of HK $ 68M by Christie's on December 2, 2020, lot 123. The tight bouquet in a basket is framed in the tall handle and displayed over a black background.
The studies in pink and white are encouraging. Sanyu is then introducing new colors in his pictures of flowers, but always in limited numbers. Non-essential parts of the image are drawn in simplified broad lines. A dark navy blue or a black brings a three-dimensionality.
Sanyu had a temperamental personality. He was jealous of his art which he believed deserved to be better paid. After a phase of high creativity, he had to face great difficulties after the death of his brother in 1931 and soon broke up with Roché.
His vision of women's bodies changes radically around that time, from sensuality to mystical idealization. These women remain models as at the time of the Grande Chaumière. They have no psychological dimension, and are most often lying on the back or reclining. They offer the beauty of their bare skin while sleeping, like Marie-Thérèse for Picasso. Realism of proportions no longer matters. He lengthens torso and legs, and deliberately shrinks the head which is not interesting him.
These nudes are white and then pink. They are placed on a carpet like starfish on the beach. The rugs are often decorated with small Chinese-style drawings, probably to reveal the origin of the artist. The contours of the body become thinner and the contrasts of colors take on pastel shades.
A reclining nude 81 x 130 cm painted in 1931 is perhaps one of the earliest in its style if we consider the garish color of the carpet. It was sold for HK $ 16.3M by Sotheby's on October 3, 2011.
After the termination of his co-operation with Roché in 1931, Sanyu stops dating his artworks, perhaps because he shall give more attention to his creativity than to trade. The chronology of his art is uneasy to analyze.
Largely from Roché, Sanyu had understood the expressive qualities of oil painting. A pink nude painted by Sanyu in the 1930s, oil on board 47 x 82 cm, was sold for HK $ 14M by Sotheby's on October 4, 2010, lot 277, and for HK $ 59M by Poly on October 3, 2016, lot 133. The woman is lying on her back on a white blanket with floral pattern. She is quietly sleeping with arms around her head and with tight legs. This nearly monochromatic composition is overwhelmed by the vivid pink flesh of this Parisian woman with a blonde hair.
In a very similar style, an oil on canvas 45 x 81 cm titled Nu Rose sur Tissus Chinois was sold for HK $ 50M by Sotheby's in Hong Kong on October 5, 2019, lot 1030. It had belonged to Roché, which does not allow to identify if it was acquired before or after their quarrel.
On December 18, 2017, Aguttes sold for € 8.8M a still life showing a peony plant in a flower pot, oil on canvas 92 x 64 cm visible in a photo made in 1933 or 1934, lot 12.
This painting is made in minimalist colors consistent with the Roché period : the black and grays of the calligraphic line and the pink of the nudes. The staging of this plant with sharp lines is both effective and strange, like a colored negative succeeding his previous positive compositions on a light background. Leaves lined and ribbed with white are transparent in front of the black background like the skeletal leaves of a memento mori.
After the war Sanyu will prefer to work on masonite panels.
1930s-1940s Goldfish
2020 SOLD for HK$ 170M by Christie's
After the termination of his co-operation with Roché in 1931, Sanyu stops dating his artworks, perhaps because he shall give more attention to his creativity than to trade. The chronology of his art is uneasy to analyze.
Goldfish, oil on canvas 74 x 50 cm, is an undated synthesis of Sanyu's artistic quest. Eight fish swim in a transparent glass cylindrical aquarium placed on a tablecloth, in front of a saturated coral-colored wall.
The extreme simplicity of the composition could be compared to the art of Matisse. The other evocations are Chinese. The number 8 and the fish are omen of prosperity. The signs scattered on the tablecloth remind that just before meeting Roché, Sanyu wanted to apply the techniques of calligraphy to his drawings. The varied positions of the fish is similar to the Jiajing jars with an interesting difference in the variety of individual colors.
Goldfish is not dated, as are most of those Sanyu's works after the Roché period. The first known owner of this painting is his friend Robert Frank, whom Sanyu did not meet until 1948, a time when he was concerned with promoting his ping-tennis. It had arguably been painted in an enthusiastic period and kept hidden for many years in his studio. No other eight fish composition is known.
Goldfish was sold for HK $ 67M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2013, lot 7, and for HK $ 170M by Christie's on December 2, 2020, lot 800.
Asking Grok to define its significance in the artist's career and estimate its execution date.
Significance in Sanyu's CareerSanyu (Chang Yu, 1895–1966), often dubbed the "Chinese Matisse," was a pioneering Chinese-French modernist whose career bridged Eastern and Western artistic traditions. Born in Sichuan, China, he moved to Paris in 1921, immersing himself in the Montparnasse scene alongside figures like Alberto Giacometti and Constantin Brâncuși. His work fused Chinese ink painting's calligraphic lines and empty space with Western oil techniques, vibrant colors, and modernist forms, creating a visionary style that deconstructed and innovated across ancient-modern and East-West divides. Despite early promise—supported by dealers like Henri-Pierre Roché—Sanyu struggled financially, producing around 300 oil paintings while living as a bohemian in Paris until his death in 1966. Posthumous recognition came in the 1990s through Taiwanese dealers and retrospectives (e.g., Guimet Museum, 2004), elevating him to a market powerhouse, with auction records held by Christie's for his nudes, still lifes, and now animals.
Goldfish (oil on canvas, 73.8 x 50.2 cm) exemplifies the pinnacle of his mature period (1930s–1940s), when he fully synthesized his hybrid aesthetic. It is his sole painting to center a goldfish bowl as the composition's focus, rendering eight goldfish—the only instance of this auspicious number (symbolizing prosperity in Chinese culture)—in exquisite, dynamic detail against a still-life tableau with symbolic motifs like longevity ("shou") on a white cloth. Of Sanyu's 11 known fish-themed oils (four in Taipei's National Museum of History), this uniquely adapts the static still-life genre to capture motion, blending oil's richness with ink's spirit for a serene yet avant-garde harmony of form, space, and color (e.g., coral background evoking Rothko's fields). Owned by friend Robert Frank and exhibited globally (e.g., National Museum of History, 2001; Kunsthalle Dresden, 2008–2009), it underscores Sanyu's innovative fusion, cementing his legacy as a modernist interpreter of Chinese art. Its 2020 sale for HK$170 million ($21.9 million) set a record for Sanyu's animal works, affirming his market dominance.
Estimated Execution Date
The painting is dated to the 1930s–1940s, aligning with Sanyu's mature phase in Paris, where he refined his signature style amid personal hardships. This broad estimate reflects stylistic analysis in the catalogue raisonné (Rita Wong, eds., 2001 and 2011), as no precise year is documented.
Goldfish, oil on canvas 74 x 50 cm, is an undated synthesis of Sanyu's artistic quest. Eight fish swim in a transparent glass cylindrical aquarium placed on a tablecloth, in front of a saturated coral-colored wall.
The extreme simplicity of the composition could be compared to the art of Matisse. The other evocations are Chinese. The number 8 and the fish are omen of prosperity. The signs scattered on the tablecloth remind that just before meeting Roché, Sanyu wanted to apply the techniques of calligraphy to his drawings. The varied positions of the fish is similar to the Jiajing jars with an interesting difference in the variety of individual colors.
Goldfish is not dated, as are most of those Sanyu's works after the Roché period. The first known owner of this painting is his friend Robert Frank, whom Sanyu did not meet until 1948, a time when he was concerned with promoting his ping-tennis. It had arguably been painted in an enthusiastic period and kept hidden for many years in his studio. No other eight fish composition is known.
Goldfish was sold for HK $ 67M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2013, lot 7, and for HK $ 170M by Christie's on December 2, 2020, lot 800.
Asking Grok to define its significance in the artist's career and estimate its execution date.
Significance in Sanyu's CareerSanyu (Chang Yu, 1895–1966), often dubbed the "Chinese Matisse," was a pioneering Chinese-French modernist whose career bridged Eastern and Western artistic traditions. Born in Sichuan, China, he moved to Paris in 1921, immersing himself in the Montparnasse scene alongside figures like Alberto Giacometti and Constantin Brâncuși. His work fused Chinese ink painting's calligraphic lines and empty space with Western oil techniques, vibrant colors, and modernist forms, creating a visionary style that deconstructed and innovated across ancient-modern and East-West divides. Despite early promise—supported by dealers like Henri-Pierre Roché—Sanyu struggled financially, producing around 300 oil paintings while living as a bohemian in Paris until his death in 1966. Posthumous recognition came in the 1990s through Taiwanese dealers and retrospectives (e.g., Guimet Museum, 2004), elevating him to a market powerhouse, with auction records held by Christie's for his nudes, still lifes, and now animals.
Goldfish (oil on canvas, 73.8 x 50.2 cm) exemplifies the pinnacle of his mature period (1930s–1940s), when he fully synthesized his hybrid aesthetic. It is his sole painting to center a goldfish bowl as the composition's focus, rendering eight goldfish—the only instance of this auspicious number (symbolizing prosperity in Chinese culture)—in exquisite, dynamic detail against a still-life tableau with symbolic motifs like longevity ("shou") on a white cloth. Of Sanyu's 11 known fish-themed oils (four in Taipei's National Museum of History), this uniquely adapts the static still-life genre to capture motion, blending oil's richness with ink's spirit for a serene yet avant-garde harmony of form, space, and color (e.g., coral background evoking Rothko's fields). Owned by friend Robert Frank and exhibited globally (e.g., National Museum of History, 2001; Kunsthalle Dresden, 2008–2009), it underscores Sanyu's innovative fusion, cementing his legacy as a modernist interpreter of Chinese art. Its 2020 sale for HK$170 million ($21.9 million) set a record for Sanyu's animal works, affirming his market dominance.
Estimated Execution Date
The painting is dated to the 1930s–1940s, aligning with Sanyu's mature phase in Paris, where he refined his signature style amid personal hardships. This broad estimate reflects stylistic analysis in the catalogue raisonné (Rita Wong, eds., 2001 and 2011), as no precise year is documented.
Nus
Intro by Grok
Asking Grok to compare Cinq Nus by Sanyu, sold by Christie's on November 23, 2019, lot 7, and Quatre Nus, sold by Sotheby's on July 8, 2020, lot 1024. Estimate the execution dates of both paintings.
Comparison of the Two Paintings
Both Cinq Nus and Quatre Nus are iconic oil paintings on masonite by Sanyu (Chang Yu, 1895–1966), the Chinese-French modernist often called the "Chinese Matisse" for his fusion of Eastern calligraphy-inspired lines with Western modernist forms, particularly in his depictions of female nudes. These works exemplify Sanyu's mature style from the 1950s, when he shifted from single-figure nudes to more complex group compositions, emphasizing languid, voluptuous bodies with bold outlines, soft color gradients, and a dreamlike spatial ambiguity that evokes both classical Chinese ink landscapes and post-war European abstraction. They were created during a period of personal and artistic renewal for Sanyu in Paris, post-World War II, amid growing recognition in the École de Paris circle.
The paintings share thematic and stylistic DNA—serene, sunlit groups of reclining nudes in harmonious, almost pastoral settings—but differ in scale, complexity, and market impact. Below is a structured comparison:
Sale Details
Cinq : Christie's Hong Kong, 20th/21st Century Art Evening Sale, November 23, 2019, Lot 7. Hammer: HK$266 million (US$34 million); realized: HK$303.9 million with premium. Set artist's auction record at the time.
Quatre : Sotheby's Hong Kong, Modern Art Evening Sale, July 8, 2020, Lot 1024. Hammer: HK$225 million (US$29 million); realized: HK$258.3 million with premium. Briefly held the record before being surpassed by a later Sanyu nude.
Dimensions
Cinq : 146.7 × 225.4 cm (57¾ × 88⅝ in.) – Sanyu's largest known nude composition, creating an epic, mural-like presence.
Quatre : 100 × 122 cm (39⅜ × 48 in.) – More intimate and focused, allowing for tighter interplay among figures.
Composition
Cinq : Five nude women in varied poses (reclining, seated, embracing) on a sun-dappled lawn against a hazy, verdant background. The figures cascade dynamically across the canvas, with overlapping limbs and rhythmic contours that suggest movement and intimacy. Emphasizes abundance and multiplicity.
Quatre : Four nude women lounging on a golden "tapis d’or" (golden carpet or lawn), each with distinct facial expressions and postures (e.g., one gazing upward, another in profile). More static and seductive, with a layered, almost theatrical arrangement that highlights diversity in body types and cultural influences (e.g., subtle nods to non-Western features). Part of a rare set of three similar group nudes (the largest of the trio).
Style & Technique
Cinq : Bold, freehand black outlines define voluptuous forms; gradients of pink, peach, green, and gold create luminous skin tones and atmospheric depth. Evokes Matisse's Fauvism meets Chinese shan shui (mountain-water) painting, with simplified space and erotic serenity. Signed lower right.
Quatre : Similar calligraphic lines and pastel palette, but with richer golds and earth tones for a warmer, more "seductive" glow. Figures reduced to essential curves, blending Rothko-like color fields with Eastern freehand sensibility. Described as the "most seductive" of Sanyu's nudes, with a focus on emotional repose. Signed lower right.
Provenance Highlights
Cinq : Ex-collection: Hôtel Drouot, Paris (1966); private Paris collectors (incl. Jean-Claude Riedel); Ravenel, Hong Kong (2011, sold HK$128 million). Exhibited: Taipei Fine Arts Museum (1988); Tamsui Center of Arts and Culture (1994); Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (2008–09).
Quatre : Ex-collection: Hôtel Drouot, Paris (1966); Yves Bideau and Jean-Claude Riedel, Paris; Sotheby's Taipei (1994); Yageo Collection, Taiwan; Christie's Hong Kong (2005, sold HK$16.4 million). Exhibited: Lin & Keng Gallery, Taipei (1996).
Cultural/Market Significance
Cinq : Represents Sanyu's peak ambition in scale and theme; broke records twice (2011, 2019), signaling the Asian market's embrace of his cross-cultural modernism. Only one of ~56 lifetime nude oils with 3+ figures; underscores his taboo-breaking elevation of the nude in Chinese art contexts.
Quatre : Highlights Sanyu's 1950s "breakthrough" in group nudes; rare as one of just six such multi-figure works. Its 2020 sale (up 1,500% from 2005) reflects surging demand amid Hong Kong's auction boom, positioning it as a "masterwork from an era of stunning beauty."
In summary, Cinq Nus stands out for its grandeur and record-shattering scale, embodying Sanyu's most ambitious synthesis of East-West aesthetics, while Quatre Nus captivates with intimate sensuality and rarity as part of a matched set. Both fueled Sanyu's market ascent, with combined sales exceeding US$67 million, and remain cornerstones of his ~56 nude oils, which comprise a core of his oeuvre.Estimated Execution DatesSanyu's nude series evolved gradually without precise dating, often based on stylistic shifts, provenance, and exhibition records. Scholarly sources (e.g., Rita Wong's Sanyu Catalogue Raisonné: Oil Paintings, 2001/2011) and auction house analyses provide the following estimates:
Comparison of the Two Paintings
Both Cinq Nus and Quatre Nus are iconic oil paintings on masonite by Sanyu (Chang Yu, 1895–1966), the Chinese-French modernist often called the "Chinese Matisse" for his fusion of Eastern calligraphy-inspired lines with Western modernist forms, particularly in his depictions of female nudes. These works exemplify Sanyu's mature style from the 1950s, when he shifted from single-figure nudes to more complex group compositions, emphasizing languid, voluptuous bodies with bold outlines, soft color gradients, and a dreamlike spatial ambiguity that evokes both classical Chinese ink landscapes and post-war European abstraction. They were created during a period of personal and artistic renewal for Sanyu in Paris, post-World War II, amid growing recognition in the École de Paris circle.
The paintings share thematic and stylistic DNA—serene, sunlit groups of reclining nudes in harmonious, almost pastoral settings—but differ in scale, complexity, and market impact. Below is a structured comparison:
Sale Details
Cinq : Christie's Hong Kong, 20th/21st Century Art Evening Sale, November 23, 2019, Lot 7. Hammer: HK$266 million (US$34 million); realized: HK$303.9 million with premium. Set artist's auction record at the time.
Quatre : Sotheby's Hong Kong, Modern Art Evening Sale, July 8, 2020, Lot 1024. Hammer: HK$225 million (US$29 million); realized: HK$258.3 million with premium. Briefly held the record before being surpassed by a later Sanyu nude.
Dimensions
Cinq : 146.7 × 225.4 cm (57¾ × 88⅝ in.) – Sanyu's largest known nude composition, creating an epic, mural-like presence.
Quatre : 100 × 122 cm (39⅜ × 48 in.) – More intimate and focused, allowing for tighter interplay among figures.
Composition
Cinq : Five nude women in varied poses (reclining, seated, embracing) on a sun-dappled lawn against a hazy, verdant background. The figures cascade dynamically across the canvas, with overlapping limbs and rhythmic contours that suggest movement and intimacy. Emphasizes abundance and multiplicity.
Quatre : Four nude women lounging on a golden "tapis d’or" (golden carpet or lawn), each with distinct facial expressions and postures (e.g., one gazing upward, another in profile). More static and seductive, with a layered, almost theatrical arrangement that highlights diversity in body types and cultural influences (e.g., subtle nods to non-Western features). Part of a rare set of three similar group nudes (the largest of the trio).
Style & Technique
Cinq : Bold, freehand black outlines define voluptuous forms; gradients of pink, peach, green, and gold create luminous skin tones and atmospheric depth. Evokes Matisse's Fauvism meets Chinese shan shui (mountain-water) painting, with simplified space and erotic serenity. Signed lower right.
Quatre : Similar calligraphic lines and pastel palette, but with richer golds and earth tones for a warmer, more "seductive" glow. Figures reduced to essential curves, blending Rothko-like color fields with Eastern freehand sensibility. Described as the "most seductive" of Sanyu's nudes, with a focus on emotional repose. Signed lower right.
Provenance Highlights
Cinq : Ex-collection: Hôtel Drouot, Paris (1966); private Paris collectors (incl. Jean-Claude Riedel); Ravenel, Hong Kong (2011, sold HK$128 million). Exhibited: Taipei Fine Arts Museum (1988); Tamsui Center of Arts and Culture (1994); Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (2008–09).
Quatre : Ex-collection: Hôtel Drouot, Paris (1966); Yves Bideau and Jean-Claude Riedel, Paris; Sotheby's Taipei (1994); Yageo Collection, Taiwan; Christie's Hong Kong (2005, sold HK$16.4 million). Exhibited: Lin & Keng Gallery, Taipei (1996).
Cultural/Market Significance
Cinq : Represents Sanyu's peak ambition in scale and theme; broke records twice (2011, 2019), signaling the Asian market's embrace of his cross-cultural modernism. Only one of ~56 lifetime nude oils with 3+ figures; underscores his taboo-breaking elevation of the nude in Chinese art contexts.
Quatre : Highlights Sanyu's 1950s "breakthrough" in group nudes; rare as one of just six such multi-figure works. Its 2020 sale (up 1,500% from 2005) reflects surging demand amid Hong Kong's auction boom, positioning it as a "masterwork from an era of stunning beauty."
In summary, Cinq Nus stands out for its grandeur and record-shattering scale, embodying Sanyu's most ambitious synthesis of East-West aesthetics, while Quatre Nus captivates with intimate sensuality and rarity as part of a matched set. Both fueled Sanyu's market ascent, with combined sales exceeding US$67 million, and remain cornerstones of his ~56 nude oils, which comprise a core of his oeuvre.Estimated Execution DatesSanyu's nude series evolved gradually without precise dating, often based on stylistic shifts, provenance, and exhibition records. Scholarly sources (e.g., Rita Wong's Sanyu Catalogue Raisonné: Oil Paintings, 2001/2011) and auction house analyses provide the following estimates:
- Cinq Nus: Circa 1955. This aligns with its mature, expansive composition, post-dating earlier single nudes (1920s–40s) and coinciding with Sanyu's 1950s group explorations. Artnet News and ARTnews confirm "ca. 1955," placing it amid his late-Paris productivity before travels to Taiwan (1958).
- Quatre Nus: 1952 (precise) or circa 1950s (broader). Sotheby's and The Value cite 1952 explicitly, linking it to contemporaneous works like Trois Nus and Quatre Nus sur un Tapis d’Or (for a 1952 Taipei solo exhibition at the National Museum of History). Artsy and Widewalls use "1950s," but the consensus narrows to early in the decade, reflecting his post-war refinement of multi-figure harmony.
1952 Quatre Nus
2020 SOLD for HK$ 260M by Sotheby's
When he quarreled with Roché in 1932, Sanyu lost his chances of a commercial recognition of his art. After the second world war, his works become more experimental, in search of a perfection that would mix the pictorial traditions of East and West. Most of his paintings from this period are made on masonite, which had the advantage of being cheap.
The 1950s were very difficult for Sanyu. Returning to Paris in 1950, he lived with small jobs : painting of furniture, carpentry, promotion of ping pong. He does not forget that he is mostly an artist. He no longer has a customer, but he feels a new maturity in him. Eroticism succeeds innocence. He is much isolated and his works from this period are generally impossible to date with precision.
Sanyu died of gas poisoning in August 1966. He had no heir and his workshop was dispersed in the following month at the Hôtel Drouot. Fortunately, a regular in that auction room named Yves Bideau had the right feeling : he bought the top lots. This event marks the start of the posthumous fame of this artist who had introduced Chinese sensibility into Western art.
Bideau bought in particular Léopard rose, Cinq nus and the ultimate Nu dated 4.1965. The recent results recorded on these lots were respectively HK $ 49M by Sotheby's on March 31, 2018, HK $ 304M by Christie's on November 23, 2019 and HK $ 198M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2019.
On July 8, 2020, Sotheby's sold as lot 1024 for HK $ 260M Quatre nus, oil on masonite 100 x 122 cm originally purchased by Bideau at the same Drouot sale.
The four women are reclining side by side on an emerald green background which evokes a quiet nap on the grass on a hot summer day. Two of them chat, breaking away from the usual inactivity of Sanyu's women.
Compared to the standing women of the Cinq nus referred above, the skin color is warm. The same desire to show the diversity of hair colors for European women indicates that these two artworks were conceived for the same series. The eyes are awkward : Sanyu could not convincingly explain why so many of his women are one eyed. These two pieces are to be compared with the desire for an easy life pushed by the cinema in the 1950s.
The 1950s were very difficult for Sanyu. Returning to Paris in 1950, he lived with small jobs : painting of furniture, carpentry, promotion of ping pong. He does not forget that he is mostly an artist. He no longer has a customer, but he feels a new maturity in him. Eroticism succeeds innocence. He is much isolated and his works from this period are generally impossible to date with precision.
Sanyu died of gas poisoning in August 1966. He had no heir and his workshop was dispersed in the following month at the Hôtel Drouot. Fortunately, a regular in that auction room named Yves Bideau had the right feeling : he bought the top lots. This event marks the start of the posthumous fame of this artist who had introduced Chinese sensibility into Western art.
Bideau bought in particular Léopard rose, Cinq nus and the ultimate Nu dated 4.1965. The recent results recorded on these lots were respectively HK $ 49M by Sotheby's on March 31, 2018, HK $ 304M by Christie's on November 23, 2019 and HK $ 198M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2019.
On July 8, 2020, Sotheby's sold as lot 1024 for HK $ 260M Quatre nus, oil on masonite 100 x 122 cm originally purchased by Bideau at the same Drouot sale.
The four women are reclining side by side on an emerald green background which evokes a quiet nap on the grass on a hot summer day. Two of them chat, breaking away from the usual inactivity of Sanyu's women.
Compared to the standing women of the Cinq nus referred above, the skin color is warm. The same desire to show the diversity of hair colors for European women indicates that these two artworks were conceived for the same series. The eyes are awkward : Sanyu could not convincingly explain why so many of his women are one eyed. These two pieces are to be compared with the desire for an easy life pushed by the cinema in the 1950s.
1955 Cinq Nus
2019 SOLD for HK$ 304M by Christie's
Cinq Nus, oil on masonite 120 x 172 cm, is one of the largest formats painted by the artist. The style is recognizable with its flat colors delimited by simplified curves. The nonchalant atmosphere is confirmed by a dog and a cat, both sleeping. This work, however, has several unique features.
The five women form the largest group painted by Sanyu in his career, and the only example with more than two characters in standing position. They are displayed side by side with a different attitude of the legs that evokes four successive phases of a dance before a final turning back. The bodies are not deformed although the heads are small.
The four hair colors of European women are displayed : blond, black, brunette, red. The faces are different from each other. Otherwise, nothing prevents from imagining five images in a row from a single model.
The exceptional size suggests that Sanyu wanted to make it a reference work that could be compared to the most famous paintings of modern art. The Demoiselles d'Avignon by Picasso and La Danse by Matisse are the two historical examples that stage five naked women, impossible to differentiate from each other in Matisse's case.
The Cinq Nus by Sanyu are made in three colors, pale for the flesh, dark red for the background and bright yellow for the carpet, which also evoke the work of Matisse on the expression of colors. Matisse died in 1954. Antoine Chen, author of a monograph on Sanyu, dates the Cinq Nus of 1955.
Cinq Nus was sold for HK $ 128M by Ravenel on May 30, 2011 and for HK $ 304M from a lower estimate of HK $ 250M by Christie's on November 23, 2019, lot 7. Please watch the video shared by Christie's.
Grok thought from an ArtHitParade tweet :
The five women form the largest group painted by Sanyu in his career, and the only example with more than two characters in standing position. They are displayed side by side with a different attitude of the legs that evokes four successive phases of a dance before a final turning back. The bodies are not deformed although the heads are small.
The four hair colors of European women are displayed : blond, black, brunette, red. The faces are different from each other. Otherwise, nothing prevents from imagining five images in a row from a single model.
The exceptional size suggests that Sanyu wanted to make it a reference work that could be compared to the most famous paintings of modern art. The Demoiselles d'Avignon by Picasso and La Danse by Matisse are the two historical examples that stage five naked women, impossible to differentiate from each other in Matisse's case.
The Cinq Nus by Sanyu are made in three colors, pale for the flesh, dark red for the background and bright yellow for the carpet, which also evoke the work of Matisse on the expression of colors. Matisse died in 1954. Antoine Chen, author of a monograph on Sanyu, dates the Cinq Nus of 1955.
Cinq Nus was sold for HK $ 128M by Ravenel on May 30, 2011 and for HK $ 304M from a lower estimate of HK $ 250M by Christie's on November 23, 2019, lot 7. Please watch the video shared by Christie's.
Grok thought from an ArtHitParade tweet :
- This 2019 post by @ArtHitParade reports the record-breaking auction sale of Sanyu's "Five Nudes" (1955) for HK$304 million at Christie's Hong Kong, highlighting the artist's rising market value.
- Sanyu, a Chinese painter who settled in Paris in the 1920s, drew from Matisse's influence to create fluid, sensual nudes that blend Eastern lyricism with Western modernism.
- The sale, the highest for any Chinese artist that year, reflected surging global demand for 20th-century Chinese modern art, with the painting later entering a private collection.
1950s Chrysanthème Blanc
2020 SOLD for HK$ 192M by Christie's
Sanyu has always maintained his link between east and west. Chrysanthemum is the best theme to express the cultural difference. In China, it is a symbol of longevity. The ancient Chinese extracted from it a wine which they drank to celebrate autumn. In the same season Europeans sadly use it as a temporary blossom on their graves.
A bouquet of pink chrysanthemums in a white vase, oil on canvas 100 x 76 cm painted in 1931, was sold for HK $ 55M by Poly on April 3, 2017.
In the very difficult years after the war, Sanyu dealt extensively with the theme of the potted chrysanthemum, which undoubtedly brought him comfort. The division of the single trunk into a multitude of branches that rise in parallel towards the ceiling is a mark of vitality and therefore of hope.
The examples below are oils on panel, the main technique used after the war by Sanyu. The works are not dated, and many of them had not been shown during his lifetime, preventing a chronology from being established :
RMB 77M by Poly on December 3, 2019 (74 x 53 cm).
HK $ 81M by Sotheby's on April 5, 2014 (130 x 74 cm).
HK $ 53M by Christie's on November 27, 2010 (120 x 90 cm).
The white chrysanthemum is a very rare variant within this series. In the blue and white pot, which as ever symbolizes Chinese art, the plant is entirely white : flowers, leaves and stems. The soil is also white. This color is the symbol of mourning : the Chinese wear white clothes to accompany the deceased towards the supreme purity. The artist probably used it in critical circumstances, either to overcome despair or for a specific mourning.
Chrysanthème blanc, oil on panel 110 x 60 cm, was sold for HK $ 192M by Christie's on July 10, 2020 from a lower estimate of HK $ 60M, lot 121.
A bouquet of pink chrysanthemums in a white vase, oil on canvas 100 x 76 cm painted in 1931, was sold for HK $ 55M by Poly on April 3, 2017.
In the very difficult years after the war, Sanyu dealt extensively with the theme of the potted chrysanthemum, which undoubtedly brought him comfort. The division of the single trunk into a multitude of branches that rise in parallel towards the ceiling is a mark of vitality and therefore of hope.
The examples below are oils on panel, the main technique used after the war by Sanyu. The works are not dated, and many of them had not been shown during his lifetime, preventing a chronology from being established :
RMB 77M by Poly on December 3, 2019 (74 x 53 cm).
HK $ 81M by Sotheby's on April 5, 2014 (130 x 74 cm).
HK $ 53M by Christie's on November 27, 2010 (120 x 90 cm).
The white chrysanthemum is a very rare variant within this series. In the blue and white pot, which as ever symbolizes Chinese art, the plant is entirely white : flowers, leaves and stems. The soil is also white. This color is the symbol of mourning : the Chinese wear white clothes to accompany the deceased towards the supreme purity. The artist probably used it in critical circumstances, either to overcome despair or for a specific mourning.
Chrysanthème blanc, oil on panel 110 x 60 cm, was sold for HK $ 192M by Christie's on July 10, 2020 from a lower estimate of HK $ 60M, lot 121.
Special Report
Stylistic Evolution in the 1950s
Sanyu's Stylistic Evolution in the 1950s
Sanyu (Chang Yu, 1901–1966), a pioneering Chinese-French modernist painter associated with the École de Paris, developed a distinctive style that fused Chinese calligraphic traditions with Western influences like Fauvism and Matisse's colorism. His work evolved significantly throughout his career, but the 1950s marked a pivotal phase of maturation and experimentation, often referred to as part of his "Black Period" (roughly 1942–1966), where he shifted toward bolder, more abstract expressions while grappling with personal isolation and financial struggles in Paris.
Background and Pre-1950s Style
Born into a wealthy family in Sichuan, China, Sanyu moved to Paris in the early 1920s, immersing himself in the avant-garde scene. His early works (1920s–1930s), including the "Pink Period" (1927–1942), emphasized elegant, flowing lines in nudes and still lifes, often in soft pink tones with restrained color accents. These pieces featured simplified, two-dimensional compositions influenced by Chinese brush drawing and Fauvist palettes, focusing on figurative forms with a poetic, dreamlike quality. By the 1940s, amid wartime hardships, his output slowed, and his style began darkening with grayer tones and more introspective themes.
Key Evolutions in the 1950s
The 1950s represented a "late period" for Sanyu, where he refined his hybrid aesthetic, producing some of his most iconic still lifes—particularly flower paintings—alongside nudes and animal motifs. This decade saw him react to post-World War II artistic shifts in Paris, including encounters with younger Chinese artists like Zao Wou-Ki and the influence of Abstract Expressionism from New York (via figures like Mark Rothko, introduced through Robert Frank). While never fully abstract, Sanyu's work absorbed expansive color fields and atmospheric depth, evolving from earlier restraint to more subjective, fantastical elements.
Mid-to-late 1950s: Bolder contrasts and atmospheric depth, evident in pieces like "Flowers in a Blue and White Pot."
Tentative timeline of flower paintings in the 1950s by Sanyu : RMB 77M by Poly on December 3, 2019 (74 x 53 cm) ; HK $ 81M by Sotheby's on April 5, 2014 (130 x 74 cm) ; HK $ 53M by Christie's on November 27, 2010 (120 x 90 cm) ; HK $ 192M by Christie's on July 10, 2020, lot 121 ; HK $ 119M by Christie's on May 24, 2021, lot 26 ; HK $ 187M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2020, lot 1015 ; HK $ 100M by Christie's on December 1, 2021, lot 10 ; sold twice by Christie's, for HK $ 46M on May 24, 2014, lot 23 and for HK $ 119M on May 24, 2021, lot 26.
Tentative Timeline of Execution for Sanyu's 1950s Flower Paintings
Based on the provided tentative order of creation (chronology of execution) in the 1950s, and verified with auction records and catalogue raisonné entries, below is the timeline. Most works are dated to the "1950s" or "1940s-1950s" as Sanyu rarely dated his paintings precisely. The order follows your specified list as the tentative chronology, with estimated periods where available. All are oil on masonite unless noted otherwise. Prices include premiums.
Tentative Order / Period Title / Description Size (cm) Auction Date Auction House Lot Number Price Realized
1. circa 1950s Untitled Flower Painting 74 x 53 December 3, 2019 Poly Auction Beijing N/A RMB 77,000,000
2. 1950s Potted Chrysanthemums 130 x 74 April 5, 2014 Sotheby's Hong Kong 108 HK$ 81,000,000
3. circa 1950s White Chrysanthemums (rare variant in blue and white pot) 120 x 90 November 27, 2010 Christie's Hong Kong N/A HK$ 53,300,000
4. 1940s-1950s Chrysanthèmes blanches dans un pot bleu et blanc (White Chrysanthemum in a Blue and White Jardiniere) 110 x 60 July 10, 2020 Christie's Hong Kong 121 HK$ 191,620,000
5. circa 1950s Potted Chrysanthemums (pink flowers, blue branches) 91.5 x 48 May 24, 2021 Christie's Hong Kong 26 HK$ 118,645,000 Note: The painting in entry 5 was previously sold on May 24, 2014 by Christie's Hong Kong (lot 23) for HK$ 46,040,000 and resold in 2021.
6. 1950s Fleurs dans un pot bleu et blanc (Flowers in a Blue and White Pot) 91 x 62 October 5, 2020 Sotheby's Hong Kong 1015 HK$ 187,055,000
7. 1940s (stylistically aligns with 1950s works) Vase de lys sur fond marron (Vase of Lilies on a Brown Background) 91 x 50 December 1, 2021 Christie's Hong Kong10HK$ 100,325,000
This timeline reflects an upward trend in auction values, with Sanyu's late-period flower paintings gaining significant appreciation. The tentative chronology is based on stylistic analysis and catalogue entries, as exact years are often not specified.
Sanyu (Chang Yu, 1901–1966), a pioneering Chinese-French modernist painter associated with the École de Paris, developed a distinctive style that fused Chinese calligraphic traditions with Western influences like Fauvism and Matisse's colorism. His work evolved significantly throughout his career, but the 1950s marked a pivotal phase of maturation and experimentation, often referred to as part of his "Black Period" (roughly 1942–1966), where he shifted toward bolder, more abstract expressions while grappling with personal isolation and financial struggles in Paris.
Background and Pre-1950s Style
Born into a wealthy family in Sichuan, China, Sanyu moved to Paris in the early 1920s, immersing himself in the avant-garde scene. His early works (1920s–1930s), including the "Pink Period" (1927–1942), emphasized elegant, flowing lines in nudes and still lifes, often in soft pink tones with restrained color accents. These pieces featured simplified, two-dimensional compositions influenced by Chinese brush drawing and Fauvist palettes, focusing on figurative forms with a poetic, dreamlike quality. By the 1940s, amid wartime hardships, his output slowed, and his style began darkening with grayer tones and more introspective themes.
Key Evolutions in the 1950s
The 1950s represented a "late period" for Sanyu, where he refined his hybrid aesthetic, producing some of his most iconic still lifes—particularly flower paintings—alongside nudes and animal motifs. This decade saw him react to post-World War II artistic shifts in Paris, including encounters with younger Chinese artists like Zao Wou-Ki and the influence of Abstract Expressionism from New York (via figures like Mark Rothko, introduced through Robert Frank). While never fully abstract, Sanyu's work absorbed expansive color fields and atmospheric depth, evolving from earlier restraint to more subjective, fantastical elements.
- Bold Color and Heavier Impasto: Early 1950s works retained some of the lighter, flattened compositions of his 1930s florals but introduced thicker pigment layers for texture and vibrancy. By mid-decade, colors became more intense and contrasting (e.g., reds against blacks or golds), evoking a sense of loneliness and self-pursuit. This shift emphasized visual impact and subjectivity, blending Fauvist boldness with Chinese literati painting's emotional depth.
- Simplified Forms and Distortion: Sanyu increasingly distorted shapes for expressive effect, merging Western modernism's deformation with Eastern freehand brushwork. Lines grew more calligraphic and fluid, creating a "new literati" style that was decorative yet modern. Flower paintings, like potted chrysanthemums, moved from realistic depictions to stylized, almost symbolic forms, prioritizing inner emotion over literal representation.
- Thematic and Compositional Changes: Still lifes dominated, symbolizing transience and cultural hybridity (e.g., Chinese vases with Western abstraction). Compositions flattened further, using negative space and strong contrasts to convey harmony between nature and human spirit. Later in the decade, works incorporated fantastical imaginations, accentuating personal isolation while drawing from expansive, atmospheric fields inspired by contemporaries.
Mid-to-late 1950s: Bolder contrasts and atmospheric depth, evident in pieces like "Flowers in a Blue and White Pot."
Tentative timeline of flower paintings in the 1950s by Sanyu : RMB 77M by Poly on December 3, 2019 (74 x 53 cm) ; HK $ 81M by Sotheby's on April 5, 2014 (130 x 74 cm) ; HK $ 53M by Christie's on November 27, 2010 (120 x 90 cm) ; HK $ 192M by Christie's on July 10, 2020, lot 121 ; HK $ 119M by Christie's on May 24, 2021, lot 26 ; HK $ 187M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2020, lot 1015 ; HK $ 100M by Christie's on December 1, 2021, lot 10 ; sold twice by Christie's, for HK $ 46M on May 24, 2014, lot 23 and for HK $ 119M on May 24, 2021, lot 26.
Tentative Timeline of Execution for Sanyu's 1950s Flower Paintings
Based on the provided tentative order of creation (chronology of execution) in the 1950s, and verified with auction records and catalogue raisonné entries, below is the timeline. Most works are dated to the "1950s" or "1940s-1950s" as Sanyu rarely dated his paintings precisely. The order follows your specified list as the tentative chronology, with estimated periods where available. All are oil on masonite unless noted otherwise. Prices include premiums.
Tentative Order / Period Title / Description Size (cm) Auction Date Auction House Lot Number Price Realized
1. circa 1950s Untitled Flower Painting 74 x 53 December 3, 2019 Poly Auction Beijing N/A RMB 77,000,000
2. 1950s Potted Chrysanthemums 130 x 74 April 5, 2014 Sotheby's Hong Kong 108 HK$ 81,000,000
3. circa 1950s White Chrysanthemums (rare variant in blue and white pot) 120 x 90 November 27, 2010 Christie's Hong Kong N/A HK$ 53,300,000
4. 1940s-1950s Chrysanthèmes blanches dans un pot bleu et blanc (White Chrysanthemum in a Blue and White Jardiniere) 110 x 60 July 10, 2020 Christie's Hong Kong 121 HK$ 191,620,000
5. circa 1950s Potted Chrysanthemums (pink flowers, blue branches) 91.5 x 48 May 24, 2021 Christie's Hong Kong 26 HK$ 118,645,000 Note: The painting in entry 5 was previously sold on May 24, 2014 by Christie's Hong Kong (lot 23) for HK$ 46,040,000 and resold in 2021.
6. 1950s Fleurs dans un pot bleu et blanc (Flowers in a Blue and White Pot) 91 x 62 October 5, 2020 Sotheby's Hong Kong 1015 HK$ 187,055,000
7. 1940s (stylistically aligns with 1950s works) Vase de lys sur fond marron (Vase of Lilies on a Brown Background) 91 x 50 December 1, 2021 Christie's Hong Kong10HK$ 100,325,000
This timeline reflects an upward trend in auction values, with Sanyu's late-period flower paintings gaining significant appreciation. The tentative chronology is based on stylistic analysis and catalogue entries, as exact years are often not specified.
1950s Fleurs dans un Pot Bleu et Blanc
2020 SOLD for HK$ 187M by Sotheby's
In the 1950s, while times are hard for him, Sanyu uses the Potted chrysanthemum as a recurring theme for his oil paintings on masonite. Mixing the Chinese traditional symbols with the trends of the abstract expressionism, he endeavors to express the basic human moods by combinations of colors without further researches on the form.
Fleurs dans un pot bleu et blanc, oil on masonite 91 x 62 cm, is typical of that style. The blue and white decoration of the pot is the reference to the classical cobalt blue on white of the Ming porcelains. The single lush blossoming chrysanthemum plant with three main branches is an allegory of vitality.
The colors of moonlight in front of a dark indigo background let suppose that is was painted by night, like the opus that was sold for HK $ 119M by Christie's on May 24, 2021, lot 26.
This painting was sold for HK $ 187M from a lower estimate of HK $ 50M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2020, lot 1015.
Fleurs dans un pot bleu et blanc, oil on masonite 91 x 62 cm, is typical of that style. The blue and white decoration of the pot is the reference to the classical cobalt blue on white of the Ming porcelains. The single lush blossoming chrysanthemum plant with three main branches is an allegory of vitality.
The colors of moonlight in front of a dark indigo background let suppose that is was painted by night, like the opus that was sold for HK $ 119M by Christie's on May 24, 2021, lot 26.
This painting was sold for HK $ 187M from a lower estimate of HK $ 50M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2020, lot 1015.
1950s Potted Chrysanthemums
2021 SOLD for HK$ 119M by Christie's
Sanyu made most of his paintings for the needs of his pictural researches. In the 1940s the theme of flowers in vases displayed a new variety of species and colors. He now occasionally included lilies, roses, tulips and violets.
Vase de lys sur fond rouge also experiences a sharp contrast by the wide white outline of the transparent vase. The lilies extend from bud to full bloom in an exquisite flat arrangement over the saturated reddish brown background.
This undated oil on masonite 91 x 60 cm was sold for HK $ 100M by Christie's on December 1, 2021, lot 10.
A Potted Chrysanthemum 92 x 48 cm in rare colors was sold by Christie's for HK $ 46M on May 24, 2014, lot 23, and for HK $ 119M on May 24, 2021, lot 26.
The single plant has its leaves and upper stems in various shades of cyan, an unfrequent feature that refers to the intimacy of a moonlight. This impression is reinforced by the dark indigo and the saffron of background and floor. The assumption that it has indeed been painted by night is plausible.
Sanyu made most of his paintings for the needs of his pictural researches. The opus of this sale is an exception. It was purchased to Sanyu at an unidentified date by a former younger classmate at the Grande Chaumière who was desiring to help him. The friend, identified in the catalogue by his initials, was also keen of sketching figures of young women, another preferred theme of Sanyu.
Vase de lys sur fond rouge also experiences a sharp contrast by the wide white outline of the transparent vase. The lilies extend from bud to full bloom in an exquisite flat arrangement over the saturated reddish brown background.
This undated oil on masonite 91 x 60 cm was sold for HK $ 100M by Christie's on December 1, 2021, lot 10.
A Potted Chrysanthemum 92 x 48 cm in rare colors was sold by Christie's for HK $ 46M on May 24, 2014, lot 23, and for HK $ 119M on May 24, 2021, lot 26.
The single plant has its leaves and upper stems in various shades of cyan, an unfrequent feature that refers to the intimacy of a moonlight. This impression is reinforced by the dark indigo and the saffron of background and floor. The assumption that it has indeed been painted by night is plausible.
Sanyu made most of his paintings for the needs of his pictural researches. The opus of this sale is an exception. It was purchased to Sanyu at an unidentified date by a former younger classmate at the Grande Chaumière who was desiring to help him. The friend, identified in the catalogue by his initials, was also keen of sketching figures of young women, another preferred theme of Sanyu.
1965 Nu
1
2019 SOLD for HK$ 198M by Sotheby's
The female nude is a favorite theme to Sanyu. His art is profoundly authentic but integrates also within the Art Déco trends of his youth. The drawings are often erotic but the oil paintings are studies of forms with a deliberately minimalist palette, same as in his potted plants and animals of the same period.
Sanyu was not tempted by total abstraction. The flesh is contained in a black outline which thickens over time. Under the influence of photography, his compositions are freed from the three dimensional space, displaying from the early 1930s an exaggerated preponderance to the legs and narrowing the head.
Throughout his life, Sanyu was exercising his creativity without succeeding in pushing his career. In 1964 the project of a solo exhibition at the National Museum of History in Taipei brought hope for an international recognition. He sent 42 artworks, including a new 47 x 50 cm Nu in oil on paper.
The project is going badly and Sanyu has no longer access to his own works. In April 1965 he compensates for this frustration by making a larger version of his Nu, an oil on masonite 123 x 135 cm. The simplicity of the forms and the monochrome body on a white background bring a fine readability to this work, like a wall poster.
The nude woman is reclining with her legs in the foreground. The right leg is raised up to the top of the image like a rocky peak in a traditional Chinese landscape. The breasts and the head form a horizon of hills. This metaphor is perceived more clearly when we consider the swaying of the raised leg and the apparent distance of the head.
Inscribed with a nostalgic autograph comment dated April 1965, this 123 x 135 cm oil on masonite may be considered as his ultimate work. A pathetic autograph inscription on the back of the masonite testifies that the aging artist felt with this composition the maturity which he had been seeking for several decades and regretted the time lost during the years of poverty.
To compensate for Sanyu's disillusionment, Natacha and Etienne Lévy organize a private exhibition in their residence in Paris from December 17 to 21, 1965. The invitation is illustrated with that masterpiece.
This ultimate Nu was sold for HK $ 198M from a lower estimate of HK $ 150M by Sotheby's in October 5, 2019, lot 1029. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Sanyu was not tempted by total abstraction. The flesh is contained in a black outline which thickens over time. Under the influence of photography, his compositions are freed from the three dimensional space, displaying from the early 1930s an exaggerated preponderance to the legs and narrowing the head.
Throughout his life, Sanyu was exercising his creativity without succeeding in pushing his career. In 1964 the project of a solo exhibition at the National Museum of History in Taipei brought hope for an international recognition. He sent 42 artworks, including a new 47 x 50 cm Nu in oil on paper.
The project is going badly and Sanyu has no longer access to his own works. In April 1965 he compensates for this frustration by making a larger version of his Nu, an oil on masonite 123 x 135 cm. The simplicity of the forms and the monochrome body on a white background bring a fine readability to this work, like a wall poster.
The nude woman is reclining with her legs in the foreground. The right leg is raised up to the top of the image like a rocky peak in a traditional Chinese landscape. The breasts and the head form a horizon of hills. This metaphor is perceived more clearly when we consider the swaying of the raised leg and the apparent distance of the head.
Inscribed with a nostalgic autograph comment dated April 1965, this 123 x 135 cm oil on masonite may be considered as his ultimate work. A pathetic autograph inscription on the back of the masonite testifies that the aging artist felt with this composition the maturity which he had been seeking for several decades and regretted the time lost during the years of poverty.
To compensate for Sanyu's disillusionment, Natacha and Etienne Lévy organize a private exhibition in their residence in Paris from December 17 to 21, 1965. The invitation is illustrated with that masterpiece.
This ultimate Nu was sold for HK $ 198M from a lower estimate of HK $ 150M by Sotheby's in October 5, 2019, lot 1029. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
2
2020 SOLD for HK$ 170M by Sotheby's
The Lévy family preserved photos of their event. Their friend Sanyu appears in a photo in front of another Nu of the same woman, painted in the same minimalist style and to the same scale, with an almost monochrome skin within thick black outlines over a blank background.
In this image, both legs are raised and the left foot is posed like a finial on the right knee. The outline of legs and buttocks now form a square, in an ultimate Chinese refinement that evokes yin and yang. The breasts and head now appear through a triangular opening between the legs. This undated work is almost certainly in the follow of the April 1965 version.
This oil on masonite 125 x 95 cm was sold for HK $ 170M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2020, lot 1016.
Sanyu died accidentally in his workshop in August 1966.
In this image, both legs are raised and the left foot is posed like a finial on the right knee. The outline of legs and buttocks now form a square, in an ultimate Chinese refinement that evokes yin and yang. The breasts and head now appear through a triangular opening between the legs. This undated work is almost certainly in the follow of the April 1965 version.
This oil on masonite 125 x 95 cm was sold for HK $ 170M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2020, lot 1016.
Sanyu died accidentally in his workshop in August 1966.
Special Report
Nude Painting Periods
Comparison of Sanyu's Nude Paintings
Sanyu (Chang Yu, 1901–1966), often called the "Chinese Matisse," produced some of the most iconic nudes in modern art, blending Chinese calligraphic lines with Western modernist influences like Fauvism and Modigliani's elongated forms. His nudes evolved over decades, reflecting personal struggles, cultural fusion, and artistic experimentation. From the 1920s to the 1960s, they shifted from sensual, single-figure compositions in soft tones to bolder, distorted group scenes with vibrant contrasts. This comparison focuses on stylistic changes across three key periods, drawing from art historical analyses and auction records.
Early Period (1920s–1930s): The "Pink Period" – Sensual and Elegant
In his early Paris years, Sanyu's nudes were primarily drawings (over 2,000 survive) in ink, pencil, charcoal, and watercolor, later transitioning to oils. Influenced by life-drawing at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, he rejected Chinese taboos on nudity, embracing Western sketching while infusing calligraphic fluidity. Forms were voluptuous, with "cosmically grand legs" (as poet Xu Zhimo described), minimalist lines emphasizing erotic invitation, and soft pink tones for transparency and dreamlike quality. Compositions were simple, often single reclining or standing figures on blank or subtly textured backgrounds, prioritizing harmony and restraint over drama. These works embodied a "free, virtuosic spirit of xieyi" (expressive sketching) but leaned toward realism in proportions.Representative examples include Nude with Green Shoes (1929, ink/charcoal/watercolor) and early oils like Femme nue sur un tapis (1929), where undulating lines dominate without unnecessary details, evoking Modigliani's sensuality but with Eastern rhythm.Early style visuals:
Mid-Period (1930s–1940s): Synthesis and Refinement
As Sanyu matured, his nudes slimmed down, with skin tones shifting from pink to ochre while retaining translucency. He incorporated the "flying white" (feibai) calligraphy technique in oils—applying a dry brush over layered backgrounds for rhythmic streaks and depth, creating a two-dimensional, subdued effect. Compositions remained mostly single figures but gained mystical idealization, moving from pure sensuality to emotional introspection. Backgrounds used limited palettes (black, white, pink) for balance, evoking vicissitudes and blending Eastern "real and imaginary" with Western abstraction. This period marked a "culminating moment" in his oil practice, with chisel-like brushstrokes adding solemnity.Works like those from the "Pink Period" extension (e.g., Nude Under the Moon) show restrained eroticism, with figures in harmonious poses against void-like spaces, foreshadowing later boldness.
Late Period (1940s–1960s): The "Black Period" – Bold and Expressive
Post-World War II, Sanyu's nudes underwent a breakthrough, embracing group compositions (e.g., Trois nus, Quatre nus, Five Nudes), bolder colors (saturated reds, blacks, golds), and distorted proportions for subjective expression. Lines became more calligraphic and fluid, forms abstracted with long curves and heavy impasto, reflecting isolation and cultural hybridity. Single figures persisted but were rarer; groups allowed complex perspectives and humor, balancing concrete settings with imaginative voids. This era's works, like the 1950s Quatre nus series, synthesized earlier experiments, striking a "grand synthesis" of realism and abstraction, often on masonite for texture.These late nudes are prized for their market value and innovation, representing a "new literati" style—decorative yet modern, with themes of transience and inner emotion.
Overall Evolution and Key Differences
Sanyu (Chang Yu, 1901–1966), often called the "Chinese Matisse," produced some of the most iconic nudes in modern art, blending Chinese calligraphic lines with Western modernist influences like Fauvism and Modigliani's elongated forms. His nudes evolved over decades, reflecting personal struggles, cultural fusion, and artistic experimentation. From the 1920s to the 1960s, they shifted from sensual, single-figure compositions in soft tones to bolder, distorted group scenes with vibrant contrasts. This comparison focuses on stylistic changes across three key periods, drawing from art historical analyses and auction records.
Early Period (1920s–1930s): The "Pink Period" – Sensual and Elegant
In his early Paris years, Sanyu's nudes were primarily drawings (over 2,000 survive) in ink, pencil, charcoal, and watercolor, later transitioning to oils. Influenced by life-drawing at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, he rejected Chinese taboos on nudity, embracing Western sketching while infusing calligraphic fluidity. Forms were voluptuous, with "cosmically grand legs" (as poet Xu Zhimo described), minimalist lines emphasizing erotic invitation, and soft pink tones for transparency and dreamlike quality. Compositions were simple, often single reclining or standing figures on blank or subtly textured backgrounds, prioritizing harmony and restraint over drama. These works embodied a "free, virtuosic spirit of xieyi" (expressive sketching) but leaned toward realism in proportions.Representative examples include Nude with Green Shoes (1929, ink/charcoal/watercolor) and early oils like Femme nue sur un tapis (1929), where undulating lines dominate without unnecessary details, evoking Modigliani's sensuality but with Eastern rhythm.Early style visuals:
Mid-Period (1930s–1940s): Synthesis and Refinement
As Sanyu matured, his nudes slimmed down, with skin tones shifting from pink to ochre while retaining translucency. He incorporated the "flying white" (feibai) calligraphy technique in oils—applying a dry brush over layered backgrounds for rhythmic streaks and depth, creating a two-dimensional, subdued effect. Compositions remained mostly single figures but gained mystical idealization, moving from pure sensuality to emotional introspection. Backgrounds used limited palettes (black, white, pink) for balance, evoking vicissitudes and blending Eastern "real and imaginary" with Western abstraction. This period marked a "culminating moment" in his oil practice, with chisel-like brushstrokes adding solemnity.Works like those from the "Pink Period" extension (e.g., Nude Under the Moon) show restrained eroticism, with figures in harmonious poses against void-like spaces, foreshadowing later boldness.
Late Period (1940s–1960s): The "Black Period" – Bold and Expressive
Post-World War II, Sanyu's nudes underwent a breakthrough, embracing group compositions (e.g., Trois nus, Quatre nus, Five Nudes), bolder colors (saturated reds, blacks, golds), and distorted proportions for subjective expression. Lines became more calligraphic and fluid, forms abstracted with long curves and heavy impasto, reflecting isolation and cultural hybridity. Single figures persisted but were rarer; groups allowed complex perspectives and humor, balancing concrete settings with imaginative voids. This era's works, like the 1950s Quatre nus series, synthesized earlier experiments, striking a "grand synthesis" of realism and abstraction, often on masonite for texture.These late nudes are prized for their market value and innovation, representing a "new literati" style—decorative yet modern, with themes of transience and inner emotion.
Overall Evolution and Key Differences
- Form and Line: Early works feature elegant, realistic curves; mid-period refines them with calligraphic subtlety; late distorts for expressiveness.
- Color and Texture: Soft pinks evolve to ochre/translucent, then bold contrasts with impasto.
- Composition: Single figures dominate early/mid; groups emerge late for dynamic interaction.
- Themes: From erotic sensuality to mystical introspection and cultural fusion. This progression mirrors Sanyu's life—from youthful exploration to mature isolation—cementing his legacy as a East-West bridge.
