ZAO WOU-KI (1920-2013)
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : China Modern China Abstract art II
Chronology : 1957 1959 1980-1989 1985 1988
See also : China Modern China Abstract art II
Chronology : 1957 1959 1980-1989 1985 1988
Intro
Psychological Evaluation of Zao Wou-Ki: Insights from Life and Art
Zao Wou-Ki (1920–2013), a Chinese-French abstract painter, lived a life marked by cultural displacement, personal loss, and profound artistic evolution. While no formal clinical psychological records are publicly available, an informal evaluation can be inferred from biographical details and the emotional content of his work. His trajectory reflects themes of identity integration, resilience amid trauma, and sublimation of inner turmoil through creative expression.
Key Life Events and Psychological Implications
Art as Psychological Expression
Zao's work evolved from figurative (1940s–1950s) to full abstraction (post-1959 "Hurricane Period"), blending Chinese landscape/calligraphy with Western Abstract Expressionism (influenced by Klee, Miró, and New York visits).
Zao Wou-Ki (1920–2013), a Chinese-French abstract painter, lived a life marked by cultural displacement, personal loss, and profound artistic evolution. While no formal clinical psychological records are publicly available, an informal evaluation can be inferred from biographical details and the emotional content of his work. His trajectory reflects themes of identity integration, resilience amid trauma, and sublimation of inner turmoil through creative expression.
Key Life Events and Psychological Implications
- Early Life and Cultural Roots: Born into an intellectual family in Beijing, Zao showed precocious talent, encouraged to paint from age 10. His training at the Hangzhou School of Fine Arts blended traditional Chinese calligraphy with Western influences (e.g., Matisse, Cézanne). This early dual exposure suggests a personality open to synthesis and adaptation, traits that would define his later life.
- Exile and Identity Conflict (1948 Onward): At 28, Zao moved to Paris, intending a short stay but remaining for decades due to political turmoil in China (Sino-Japanese War, rise of Communism). He could not return until 1972. Sources describe this as a "pain of exile," evoking feelings of abandonment and guilt toward his family enduring hardship. Psychologically, this aligns with acculturative stress and ambivalent identity—feeling bound by "two traditions" (his own words). Becoming French citizen in 1964 (with André Malraux's support) indicates successful adaptation, yet a lingering sense of rootlessness.
- Personal Losses and Grief:
- Divorce from first wife Xie Jinglan (Lalan) in the late 1950s coincided with stylistic shifts.
- Second wife Chan May-Kan (married 1958) suffered mental illness and died by suicide in 1972 at age 41. Zao cared for her in her final years, temporarily abandoning oil painting for ink works—a possible sign of depression or emotional withdrawal.
- These events, combined with his 1972 China visit (reconnecting after 24 years), prompted a return to Chinese ink techniques, suggesting grief processed through cultural reconnection.
- Later Life: Elected to Académie des beaux-arts (2002), awarded high honors. Suffered Alzheimer's from ~2006, ceasing painting; died in 2013. This decline reflects vulnerability in old age after a resilient career.
Art as Psychological Expression
Zao's work evolved from figurative (1940s–1950s) to full abstraction (post-1959 "Hurricane Period"), blending Chinese landscape/calligraphy with Western Abstract Expressionism (influenced by Klee, Miró, and New York visits).
- Emotional Catharsis: Abstract works convey "interior energies," "breath of life," wind, movement, and fusion of colors—often described as lyrical, turbulent, or meditative. The "Hurricane Period" (1959–1972) features vigorous brushwork, saturated colors, and chaotic yet balanced compositions, coinciding with personal upheavals (divorce, wife's illness/death). Critics note a "continual struggle" (gesture vs. canvas) and "tremors of colour," suggesting sublimation of anxiety, grief, or existential questioning.
- Themes of Transcendence: Later works (1970s–2000s) become dreamlike, ambient, with blurred boundaries—evoking serenity and vastness (infinite landscapes, light's birth). This shift post-1972 grief/reconnection implies psychological healing: moving from turmoil to meditative acceptance, rooted in Chinese philosophy (e.g., Daoist fluidity).
- Cultural Integration as Coping: His signature style—non-representational yet evocative of nature—reflects resolution of dual identity. As he said, Paris enabled "return to my deepest origins." Art served as a therapeutic bridge, expressing the inexpressible (e.g., exile's pain without literal depiction).
Special Report
Klee's Influence
Paul Klee's Influence on modern abstract art, particularly among Chinese-French painters like Zao Wou-Ki and his contemporaries, was profound and catalytic. Paul Klee (1879–1940), the Swiss-German modernist associated with the Bauhaus, Expressionism, and Surrealism, pioneered a playful yet deeply symbolic approach to abstraction. His use of signs, cryptic hieroglyph-like forms, delicate lines, vibrant yet restrained colors, and childlike yet sophisticated compositions created an "inner world" that transcended literal representation. Klee's fascination with non-Western art—including Chinese calligraphy, ancient scripts, and primitive symbols—made his work especially resonant for artists bridging Eastern and Western traditions.
Klee did not copy existing signs but abstracted and transformed them into personal, universal expressions—often evoking music, poetry, dreams, and cosmic forces. This resonated strongly with postwar artists seeking to escape figuration and forge hybrid languages.
Key Influence on Zao Wou-Ki
Zao Wou-Ki encountered Klee's work during a 1951 trip to Switzerland, marking a pivotal "epiphany." At the time, Zao felt confined by figuration (influenced by Cézanne, Matisse, and others) and was searching for a freer visual language.
Influence on Chu Teh-Chun and Broader Circle
Chu Teh-Chun (a classmate of Zao and Wu Guanzhong at Hangzhou) arrived in Paris later (1955) and was indirectly shaped by Klee through the postwar abstract milieu Zao helped pioneer. Chu's lyrical abstractions—swirling, calligraphic strokes evoking misty landscapes and natural energy—echo Klee's poetic, non-literal approach, though Chu leaned more heavily on Chinese ink traditions.
The "Three Musketeers" of Chinese abstraction (Zao, Chu, Wu Guanzhong) all engaged with Western modernism, including Klee's symbolic world. Wu Guanzhong, while more focused on Kandinsky, Mondrian, and others, appreciated Klee's innovations in abstraction as part of a universal visual language that could enrich Chinese painting.
Lasting Legacy
Klee's emphasis on making the invisible visible, blending script and image, and achieving spiritual depth through abstraction inspired a generation of artists (including American Abstract Expressionists like Pollock and Motherwell) to experiment freely. For Chinese expatriate painters in Paris, Klee served as a bridge—validating the use of signs and non-representational forms while encouraging a return to Eastern origins. His influence helped birth a distinctive East-West synthesis that dominates modern Asian art auctions today.
Klee did not copy existing signs but abstracted and transformed them into personal, universal expressions—often evoking music, poetry, dreams, and cosmic forces. This resonated strongly with postwar artists seeking to escape figuration and forge hybrid languages.
Key Influence on Zao Wou-Ki
Zao Wou-Ki encountered Klee's work during a 1951 trip to Switzerland, marking a pivotal "epiphany." At the time, Zao felt confined by figuration (influenced by Cézanne, Matisse, and others) and was searching for a freer visual language.
- Klee's abstract symbolism and use of small, enigmatic signs on expansive, atmospheric grounds inspired Zao to incorporate similar "signs" into his paintings.
- This directly led to Zao's early "Klee Period" (late 1940s–early 1950s), featuring dreamlike, symbolic landscapes and abstracted forms.
- By the mid-1950s, it propelled Zao toward full abstraction and his Oracle Bone Period (1954–1959), where he reinterpreted ancient Chinese oracle bone scripts and bronze inscriptions—mirroring how Klee drew from calligraphy and hieroglyphs but redirecting it back to Zao's cultural roots.
- Zao later reflected that Klee's knowledge and love of Chinese painting illuminated his path, reconciling East-West tensions and enabling a "permanent metamorphosis" in his style.
- The influence faded as Zao moved into his Hurricane Period, but Klee's liberation from representation was foundational.
Influence on Chu Teh-Chun and Broader Circle
Chu Teh-Chun (a classmate of Zao and Wu Guanzhong at Hangzhou) arrived in Paris later (1955) and was indirectly shaped by Klee through the postwar abstract milieu Zao helped pioneer. Chu's lyrical abstractions—swirling, calligraphic strokes evoking misty landscapes and natural energy—echo Klee's poetic, non-literal approach, though Chu leaned more heavily on Chinese ink traditions.
The "Three Musketeers" of Chinese abstraction (Zao, Chu, Wu Guanzhong) all engaged with Western modernism, including Klee's symbolic world. Wu Guanzhong, while more focused on Kandinsky, Mondrian, and others, appreciated Klee's innovations in abstraction as part of a universal visual language that could enrich Chinese painting.
Lasting Legacy
Klee's emphasis on making the invisible visible, blending script and image, and achieving spiritual depth through abstraction inspired a generation of artists (including American Abstract Expressionists like Pollock and Motherwell) to experiment freely. For Chinese expatriate painters in Paris, Klee served as a bridge—validating the use of signs and non-representational forms while encouraging a return to Eastern origins. His influence helped birth a distinctive East-West synthesis that dominates modern Asian art auctions today.
Oracle Bone
Zao Wou-Ki underwent a pivotal shift toward abstraction in the mid-1950s. This evolution marked his departure from earlier representational or semi-figurative landscapes and still lifes—rooted in his training at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou and initial influences from Western modernists like Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, and Paul Klee—toward a fully non-representational style that synthesized Eastern and Western traditions.
Intention and Inspiration
The "shift to abstraction" reflected Zao's dissatisfaction with literal depiction of landscapes or narratives. He sought a universal visual language that captured the essence of space, energy, and the invisible forces of the universe, rather than specific forms. Around 1954–1955, he turned inward to his Chinese cultural roots for renewal, moving beyond the symbolic abstraction inspired by Klee (which featured loose signs and motifs) to something more profound and personal.
Key inspiration came from oracle bone inscriptions (jiaguwen, 甲骨文), the ancient Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1050 BCE) script carved on animal bones and turtle shells for divination. These were among the earliest forms of Chinese writing, consisting of pictographic and symbolic characters used to communicate with the divine or record oracles. Zao's father had collected such antiquities, exposing him early to these "mysterious symbols" that evoked spirituality, primordial communication, and the invisible phenomena of nature. He also drew from related sources like bronze ritual vessel inscriptions (zhongdingwen), stone rubbings, and classical calligraphy.
Zao did not copy these scripts literally. Instead, he invented his own pseudo-characters and primitive signs—self-created, illegible marks that mimicked the archaic, energetic quality of oracle bones. These appeared as dense or sparse clusters of bold, calligraphic brushstrokes in oil on canvas, generating new spatial dynamics and a sense of cosmic energy. The approach embodied a fusion: the gestural freedom and expressive power of Western postwar abstraction (influenced by his Paris circle, including Pierre Soulages and Abstract Expressionists encountered during 1950s travels) with the philosophical depth and brushwork spirit of traditional Chinese ink painting and landscape aesthetics (e.g., evoking the "breath" or vital force in works by artists like Mi Fu or Wang Wei).
This period (roughly 1954–1958/1959, sometimes called the Oracle Bone or "oracle-bone" period) served as a bridge. It helped Zao disassemble and rediscover his cultural identity amid exile in Paris, leading into his more explosive "Hurricane Period" (c. 1959–1972) of untitled, date-only works with swirling, atmospheric energy. He viewed painting as a battle or primal search for origins, free from restrictive titles or figuration.
Key Artworks
Works from this phase feature monochromatic or limited palettes with prominent black or bold linear forms resembling writing, set against varied backgrounds. They often create rhythmic, dynamic compositions—sometimes dense clusters evoking crowded inscriptions, sometimes sparse fields suggesting vast space.
During the 1950s, Zao gained acclaim in Europe and the United States for his Oracle Bone works, which stood out amid Abstract Expressionism and Lyrical Abstraction (École de Paris). He exhibited with gallerists like Pierre Loeb and Samuel Kootz, befriended artists such as Joan Miró and Alberto Giacometti, and saw his pieces enter prominent collections. The period established him as a rising star bridging cultures. Posthumously, retrospectives and exhibitions (including printmaking shows at institutions like M+) have reinforced his status.
Legacy
Zao Wou-Ki's Oracle Bone series is celebrated as a critical bridge between Eastern calligraphic and philosophical traditions and Western abstract painting. It demonstrated how an artist could transcend cultural boundaries without exoticism—using oil's expressive potential to reinterpret ancient Chinese spirituality and brush aesthetics in a modern, universal idiom. His approach influenced later generations of Chinese and diasporic artists exploring hybrid identities, space, and abstraction. Works from this era remain highly sought-after for their historical importance and visual power, embodying a "no limits" philosophy of painting as pure energy and silence. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest abstract artists of the 20th century, with a lasting impact on how Asian modernism is perceived globally.
Key Auction Results
Zao's market has been exceptionally strong, particularly for large-scale works; in some years, he ranked among the top-selling artists worldwide (behind only Picasso and Monet in auction turnover). Oracle Bone pieces, while not always the absolute highest (later Hurricane Period triptychs and large canvases often lead), command premium prices due to their rarity, provenance, and transitional significance. Many top results involve museum-deaccessioned or fresh-to-market works.
Notable Oracle Bone or related period sales include:
Overall, Zao's shift via the Oracle Bones series represents a profound act of cultural reclamation and innovation, transforming personal heritage into a timeless contribution to global abstraction.
Intention and Inspiration
The "shift to abstraction" reflected Zao's dissatisfaction with literal depiction of landscapes or narratives. He sought a universal visual language that captured the essence of space, energy, and the invisible forces of the universe, rather than specific forms. Around 1954–1955, he turned inward to his Chinese cultural roots for renewal, moving beyond the symbolic abstraction inspired by Klee (which featured loose signs and motifs) to something more profound and personal.
Key inspiration came from oracle bone inscriptions (jiaguwen, 甲骨文), the ancient Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1050 BCE) script carved on animal bones and turtle shells for divination. These were among the earliest forms of Chinese writing, consisting of pictographic and symbolic characters used to communicate with the divine or record oracles. Zao's father had collected such antiquities, exposing him early to these "mysterious symbols" that evoked spirituality, primordial communication, and the invisible phenomena of nature. He also drew from related sources like bronze ritual vessel inscriptions (zhongdingwen), stone rubbings, and classical calligraphy.
Zao did not copy these scripts literally. Instead, he invented his own pseudo-characters and primitive signs—self-created, illegible marks that mimicked the archaic, energetic quality of oracle bones. These appeared as dense or sparse clusters of bold, calligraphic brushstrokes in oil on canvas, generating new spatial dynamics and a sense of cosmic energy. The approach embodied a fusion: the gestural freedom and expressive power of Western postwar abstraction (influenced by his Paris circle, including Pierre Soulages and Abstract Expressionists encountered during 1950s travels) with the philosophical depth and brushwork spirit of traditional Chinese ink painting and landscape aesthetics (e.g., evoking the "breath" or vital force in works by artists like Mi Fu or Wang Wei).
This period (roughly 1954–1958/1959, sometimes called the Oracle Bone or "oracle-bone" period) served as a bridge. It helped Zao disassemble and rediscover his cultural identity amid exile in Paris, leading into his more explosive "Hurricane Period" (c. 1959–1972) of untitled, date-only works with swirling, atmospheric energy. He viewed painting as a battle or primal search for origins, free from restrictive titles or figuration.
Key Artworks
Works from this phase feature monochromatic or limited palettes with prominent black or bold linear forms resembling writing, set against varied backgrounds. They often create rhythmic, dynamic compositions—sometimes dense clusters evoking crowded inscriptions, sometimes sparse fields suggesting vast space.
- 21.04.59 (1959, oil on canvas): A standout masterpiece and one of the most representative late-Oracle Bone works. Powerful, soaring brushstrokes break free from literal characters into abstract, clashing forms full of life energy, described as "cloud dragons" ascending or creating universes. It exemplifies the transition toward greater freedom and was highlighted in major auctions.
- Untitled (1958): From the Guggenheim Museum collection; features crisscrossing abstract shapes with calligraphic quality. Sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong in 2019.
- Abstraction (1958): Another strong example with evolving forms; previously in the Art Institute of Chicago collection.
- Voie Lactée – 09.11.1956 ("Milky Way," 1956): Incorporates cosmic themes inspired by ancient star maps, with flowing characters evoking stars and eternity.
- Other notables: Nuage ("Cloud"), works with red or dynamic strokes against dark grounds, and pieces like Sous un grand arbre d'été (1954) showing early centrifugal forces linked to oracle motifs.
During the 1950s, Zao gained acclaim in Europe and the United States for his Oracle Bone works, which stood out amid Abstract Expressionism and Lyrical Abstraction (École de Paris). He exhibited with gallerists like Pierre Loeb and Samuel Kootz, befriended artists such as Joan Miró and Alberto Giacometti, and saw his pieces enter prominent collections. The period established him as a rising star bridging cultures. Posthumously, retrospectives and exhibitions (including printmaking shows at institutions like M+) have reinforced his status.
Legacy
Zao Wou-Ki's Oracle Bone series is celebrated as a critical bridge between Eastern calligraphic and philosophical traditions and Western abstract painting. It demonstrated how an artist could transcend cultural boundaries without exoticism—using oil's expressive potential to reinterpret ancient Chinese spirituality and brush aesthetics in a modern, universal idiom. His approach influenced later generations of Chinese and diasporic artists exploring hybrid identities, space, and abstraction. Works from this era remain highly sought-after for their historical importance and visual power, embodying a "no limits" philosophy of painting as pure energy and silence. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest abstract artists of the 20th century, with a lasting impact on how Asian modernism is perceived globally.
Key Auction Results
Zao's market has been exceptionally strong, particularly for large-scale works; in some years, he ranked among the top-selling artists worldwide (behind only Picasso and Monet in auction turnover). Oracle Bone pieces, while not always the absolute highest (later Hurricane Period triptychs and large canvases often lead), command premium prices due to their rarity, provenance, and transitional significance. Many top results involve museum-deaccessioned or fresh-to-market works.
Notable Oracle Bone or related period sales include:
- 21.04.59 (1959): Sold for HK$104.5 million (approx. US$13 million) at Sotheby's Hong Kong.
- Untitled (1958, ex-Guggenheim): Achieved strong results in the HK$ range (over US$10 million estimates in some cases).
- Abstraction (1958, ex-Art Institute of Chicago): Sold for RMB 89.68 million (approx. US$14.7 million) at Sotheby's Beijing in 2013, setting a then-record.
- Record: Juin–Octobre 1985 (1985 triptych) sold for US$65 million at Sotheby's Hong Kong in 2018.
- Other highs: 29.01.64 (1964) over HK$200 million in some reports; multiple Hurricane Period works in the tens of millions.
Overall, Zao's shift via the Oracle Bones series represents a profound act of cultural reclamation and innovation, transforming personal heritage into a timeless contribution to global abstraction.
1956-1957 Et la Terre était sans Forme
2018 SOLD for HK$ 183M by Poly
Born in a very ancient Chinese family, Zao Wou-Ki's father was a great connoisseur of art and calligraphy. Owning a painting by Mi Fu, he had also been one of the earliest collectors of Oracle bones just after their characterization as a primordial form of writing.
In France in the 1950s, Zao soon renounces figurative art and expresses feelings, nature and seasons by confrontations of colors. He adds accumulations of illegible calligraphic signs that stage a contribution from the Chinese civilization. Vert émeraude, painted in 1950, is one of the earliest examples of this duality. This 127 x 127 cm oil on canvas was sold for HK $ 71M by Christie's on May 28, 2016, lot 24.
The artist hesitates for a few further years between abstraction and a very stylized figuration. By his abstract art of the mid-1950s he expresses specific feelings detached from a figurative support and gives the key in his short titles. He sees the wind, the night, the dawn, the pond, the dust, the lightning.
Sous un grand arbre d'été, oil on canvas 92 x 73 cm painted in July 1954, is featuring a center of dense force that releases centrifugal debris which take on a dark red background the form of the archaic oracle bones collected by the artist's father. It was sold for HK $ 44M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2023, lot 2514.
At the end of 1954, his inspiration becomes cosmic. Completed in January 1955, Paysage dans la Lune is a revealing title : our planet is no longer enough for Zao. This 117 x 88 cm oil on canvas was sold for HK $ 47M by Sotheby's on October 2, 2016, lot 1017.
The centering of the energies comes soon to replace the volcanic composition of the previous example. Ailleurs depicts three centers of forces of equal size but unequal densities, one above the other on a vertical axis. This 130 x 97 cm oil on canvas painted in 1955 was sold for HK $ 52M by Phillips on May 26, 2019.
On September 21, 2019, Christie's sold for RMB 56M Voie Lactée, oil on canvas 162 x 114 cm dated 9.11.1956, lot 307. This opus is an encounter between night and day : the Milky Way composed of a myriad of pseudo-calligraphic centrifugal signs is encircled by the day sky in an elegant mingling of lilac, azure, aquamarine and turquoise.
From 1955 Zao regularly overpaints his colors with a pseudo-writing, most often without any similarity with the antique or modern pictographs, thus adding a dimension of mystery to his expressions of the forces of nature and the creation of the universe. These paintings are identified as the series of the Oracle Bones.
This gradual approach to cosmos and eternity culminates with Et la Terre était sans forme. Zao works in Paris but is increasingly nostalgic with his Chinese origins. He is tempted by the synthesis of the mystical beliefs of East and West. An oil on canvas 200 x 162 cm titled Et la Terre était sans forme, dated 1956-1957, completed in 1957 just before the break with Lan Lan, is the culmination of this creative impulse.
The title in French is indeed associated with the West and paraphrases the second verse of Genesis just before the appearance of light. In this phase the Earth is uninhabited but cannot be empty. Its creation is an explosion of colors.
The primordial world of Yin and Yang is another interpretation of the creation of forms. Since 1954 Zao was sprinkling his works with an illegible calligraphy inspired from the Oracle Bones, these earliest witnesses of Chinese paleo-scripture which were undoubtedly an attempt at communication with the heavens and anticipated the symbols on the Shang ritual bronzes.
The well-centered fireball of Et la Terre était sans forme is patterned with the Oracle bones signature signs of the artist but they are too small and too tight to invite for an understanding in the modern world. The primordial chaos is dotted with fragments that announce the Chinese paleography.
This painting was sold for HK $ 29.4M by Christie's on November 25, 2007 and for HK $ 183M from a lower estimate of HK $ 90M by Poly on March 29, 2018, lot 164. Please watch the video shared by Poly HK.
The mystical crescendo of Zao Wou-Ki is halted by his break in early 1957 with his wife Lan Lan. The hypersensitive artist is in shock. He leaves for a long stay with his brother near New York City where he discovers the spontaneity of abstract expressionism. A new phase of total abstraction will begin.
In France in the 1950s, Zao soon renounces figurative art and expresses feelings, nature and seasons by confrontations of colors. He adds accumulations of illegible calligraphic signs that stage a contribution from the Chinese civilization. Vert émeraude, painted in 1950, is one of the earliest examples of this duality. This 127 x 127 cm oil on canvas was sold for HK $ 71M by Christie's on May 28, 2016, lot 24.
The artist hesitates for a few further years between abstraction and a very stylized figuration. By his abstract art of the mid-1950s he expresses specific feelings detached from a figurative support and gives the key in his short titles. He sees the wind, the night, the dawn, the pond, the dust, the lightning.
Sous un grand arbre d'été, oil on canvas 92 x 73 cm painted in July 1954, is featuring a center of dense force that releases centrifugal debris which take on a dark red background the form of the archaic oracle bones collected by the artist's father. It was sold for HK $ 44M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2023, lot 2514.
At the end of 1954, his inspiration becomes cosmic. Completed in January 1955, Paysage dans la Lune is a revealing title : our planet is no longer enough for Zao. This 117 x 88 cm oil on canvas was sold for HK $ 47M by Sotheby's on October 2, 2016, lot 1017.
The centering of the energies comes soon to replace the volcanic composition of the previous example. Ailleurs depicts three centers of forces of equal size but unequal densities, one above the other on a vertical axis. This 130 x 97 cm oil on canvas painted in 1955 was sold for HK $ 52M by Phillips on May 26, 2019.
On September 21, 2019, Christie's sold for RMB 56M Voie Lactée, oil on canvas 162 x 114 cm dated 9.11.1956, lot 307. This opus is an encounter between night and day : the Milky Way composed of a myriad of pseudo-calligraphic centrifugal signs is encircled by the day sky in an elegant mingling of lilac, azure, aquamarine and turquoise.
From 1955 Zao regularly overpaints his colors with a pseudo-writing, most often without any similarity with the antique or modern pictographs, thus adding a dimension of mystery to his expressions of the forces of nature and the creation of the universe. These paintings are identified as the series of the Oracle Bones.
This gradual approach to cosmos and eternity culminates with Et la Terre était sans forme. Zao works in Paris but is increasingly nostalgic with his Chinese origins. He is tempted by the synthesis of the mystical beliefs of East and West. An oil on canvas 200 x 162 cm titled Et la Terre était sans forme, dated 1956-1957, completed in 1957 just before the break with Lan Lan, is the culmination of this creative impulse.
The title in French is indeed associated with the West and paraphrases the second verse of Genesis just before the appearance of light. In this phase the Earth is uninhabited but cannot be empty. Its creation is an explosion of colors.
The primordial world of Yin and Yang is another interpretation of the creation of forms. Since 1954 Zao was sprinkling his works with an illegible calligraphy inspired from the Oracle Bones, these earliest witnesses of Chinese paleo-scripture which were undoubtedly an attempt at communication with the heavens and anticipated the symbols on the Shang ritual bronzes.
The well-centered fireball of Et la Terre était sans forme is patterned with the Oracle bones signature signs of the artist but they are too small and too tight to invite for an understanding in the modern world. The primordial chaos is dotted with fragments that announce the Chinese paleography.
This painting was sold for HK $ 29.4M by Christie's on November 25, 2007 and for HK $ 183M from a lower estimate of HK $ 90M by Poly on March 29, 2018, lot 164. Please watch the video shared by Poly HK.
The mystical crescendo of Zao Wou-Ki is halted by his break in early 1957 with his wife Lan Lan. The hypersensitive artist is in shock. He leaves for a long stay with his brother near New York City where he discovers the spontaneity of abstract expressionism. A new phase of total abstraction will begin.
1958 Untitled
2019 SOLD for HK$ 116M by Sotheby's
Zao Wou-Ki was deeply shocked by his divorce in early 1957. The oil on canvas titled Nous Deux, 161 x 200 cm, called for the dawn of his second career in a world inhabited by strange and indecipherable calligraphic signs. Nous Deux was sold for HK $ 35M by Christie's on May 24, 2009.
His visit to the United States in 1957 after his break with his wife does not interrupt this trend but considerably increases his international notoriety. After meeting with American abstract painters, he appreciates that a work of art does not need a title to convey a feeling.
Abstraction is an oil on canvas 130 x 162 cm painted in 1958. This explosion of glowing fire is like the origin of the world in a dark environment. The fake calligrams from Nous Deux become smoky ashes floating in front of the bright colors. It was sold for RMB 90M by Sotheby's on December 1, 2013, lot 34.
The untitled Oracle Bones painted in 1958 offer a great diversity of expression.
An oil on canvas 114 x 163 cm painted in that year appears as an antithesis to the example above. The sweetness of the background painted in cream white enhanced with light brown and jade green brings a peaceful atmosphere accentuated by the calligraphic sharpness of the large central pseudo-writing.
It was sold for HK $ 116M from a lower estimate of HK $ 60M by Sotheby's on March 31 2019, lot 1026. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
His visit to the United States in 1957 after his break with his wife does not interrupt this trend but considerably increases his international notoriety. After meeting with American abstract painters, he appreciates that a work of art does not need a title to convey a feeling.
Abstraction is an oil on canvas 130 x 162 cm painted in 1958. This explosion of glowing fire is like the origin of the world in a dark environment. The fake calligrams from Nous Deux become smoky ashes floating in front of the bright colors. It was sold for RMB 90M by Sotheby's on December 1, 2013, lot 34.
The untitled Oracle Bones painted in 1958 offer a great diversity of expression.
An oil on canvas 114 x 163 cm painted in that year appears as an antithesis to the example above. The sweetness of the background painted in cream white enhanced with light brown and jade green brings a peaceful atmosphere accentuated by the calligraphic sharpness of the large central pseudo-writing.
It was sold for HK $ 116M from a lower estimate of HK $ 60M by Sotheby's on March 31 2019, lot 1026. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
1959 14.12.59
2018 SOLD for HK$ 177M by Christie's
From the moment when Zao Wou-Ki deliberately chooses abstraction, his art becomes a mystical quest, tirelessly, imperturbably, in a continuity that is barely affected by the great drama of his life, the departure of his first wife.
He then calms his grief by a long journey during which he meets the American abstract expressionists. When he returns, the pre-eminence of the pseudo-writing disappears. Zao is now looking for the creation of light, the third verse of Genesis, certainly easier to conceptualize visually.
On an oil on canvas 130 x 162 cm painted in 1958, the night is pierced by fire. The title, Abstraction, is significant of the uselessness of words to accompany an artwork. It is indeed one of the ultimate opus to which the artist wanted to attribute a descriptive title. Abstraction was sold for RMB 90M by Sotheby's on December 1, 2013, lot 34.
Two paintings made in 1959 in the same dimensions as the example above bring the birth of dawn.
The earlier, 21.04.59, shows a landscape scarcely visible in the dim light. All along the horizon, under the black sky, the dazzling white light of the primordial dawn is partially hidden behind volcanic projections accompanied by some amalgamated residues of the paleography. This opus was sold for HK $ 105M by Sotheby's on October 5, lot 1021.
14.12.59 is a composition of similar inspiration except that the blinding light has taken the form of a central ball and the sky is a glowing red. This opus was sold for HK $ 177M from a lower estimate of HK $ 68M by Christie's on May 26, 2018, lot 23.
He then calms his grief by a long journey during which he meets the American abstract expressionists. When he returns, the pre-eminence of the pseudo-writing disappears. Zao is now looking for the creation of light, the third verse of Genesis, certainly easier to conceptualize visually.
On an oil on canvas 130 x 162 cm painted in 1958, the night is pierced by fire. The title, Abstraction, is significant of the uselessness of words to accompany an artwork. It is indeed one of the ultimate opus to which the artist wanted to attribute a descriptive title. Abstraction was sold for RMB 90M by Sotheby's on December 1, 2013, lot 34.
Two paintings made in 1959 in the same dimensions as the example above bring the birth of dawn.
The earlier, 21.04.59, shows a landscape scarcely visible in the dim light. All along the horizon, under the black sky, the dazzling white light of the primordial dawn is partially hidden behind volcanic projections accompanied by some amalgamated residues of the paleography. This opus was sold for HK $ 105M by Sotheby's on October 5, lot 1021.
14.12.59 is a composition of similar inspiration except that the blinding light has taken the form of a central ball and the sky is a glowing red. This opus was sold for HK $ 177M from a lower estimate of HK $ 68M by Christie's on May 26, 2018, lot 23.
Hurricane Period
Comparison: Zao Wou-Ki's Oracle Bone Period vs. Hurricane Period
The Oracle Bone Period served as a transitional bridge—rooted in cultural rediscovery and symbolic structure—while the Hurricane Period marked a decisive, explosive breakthrough into unrestrained energy and transcendental expression. The shift was gradual but profound, catalyzed by personal upheaval (e.g., the end of his first marriage), global travels (especially to New York in 1957–1959), and exposure to Abstract Expressionism.
Key Differences
The Oracle Bone Period served as a transitional bridge—rooted in cultural rediscovery and symbolic structure—while the Hurricane Period marked a decisive, explosive breakthrough into unrestrained energy and transcendental expression. The shift was gradual but profound, catalyzed by personal upheaval (e.g., the end of his first marriage), global travels (especially to New York in 1957–1959), and exposure to Abstract Expressionism.
Key Differences
- Timeframe and Context
Oracle Bone: Mid-1950s (1954–1959), during Zao's deepening reconnection with Chinese heritage after years in Paris.
Hurricane: Late 1950s–early 1970s (1959–1972), peaking in the 1960s amid personal turmoil, international acclaim (e.g., Kootz Gallery representation in New York), and a "decisive break" from earlier restraint. - Inspiration and Sources
Oracle Bone: Directly drawn from ancient Chinese oracle bone script (jiaguwen) and bronze inscriptions—archaic, symbolic characters used for divination in the Shang dynasty. Influenced by Paul Klee's use of signs and hieroglyphs, but redirected toward Zao's roots.
Hurricane: Shifted to primal, cosmic forces—evoking wind, storms, chaos, and the origins of the universe. Drew from Chinese cursive calligraphy (caoshu or "flying white" style) for rapid, gestural energy, fused with Western Abstract Expressionism (e.g., influences from Pollock, Kline, and New York action painting). Less tied to literal ancient symbols; more about unbound vitality. - Visual Style and Technique
Oracle Bone: Dense clusters of illegible, calligraphic-like marks and primitive signs arranged in structured, often rhythmic compositions. Brushstrokes suggest writing or inscription; forms are more contained, with recognizable archaic characters early on, evolving to freer but still symbolic abstractions.
Hurricane: Explosive, vigorous, full-body gestural brushwork—wild, swirling, clashing lines that surge across the canvas. "Flying white" dry-brush effects create speed and motion; splatters, thick impasto, and layered chaos dominate. Compositions often feature central bursts, vertical energy flows, or three-part structures (dark framing around luminous centers). - Scale and Format
Oracle Bone: Typically medium to large, but more contained; emphasis on intimate, atmospheric depth.
Hurricane: Monumental canvases (often 2+ meters, up to 6 meters wide), enabling dramatic, immersive gestures and "fighting with the picture" intensity. - Color Palette
Oracle Bone: Earthy, muted tones—deep blacks, reds, browns, grays, indigos; layered like ink washes for subtlety and mystery.
Hurricane: Bolder and more varied—fiery reds (highly prized), vibrant blues/teals, glowing oranges, stark blacks/whites; saturated contrasts convey turmoil and release. - Composition and Energy
Oracle Bone: Often centered voids or dense clusters; controlled rhythm, evoking ancient scripts, spiritual origins, or inner landscapes. More esoteric and symbolic.
Hurricane: Dynamic, chaotic yet balanced—energy "bursts forth," clashes, disperses; conveys primal struggle, cosmic creation, and living force. Transcendental and unrestrained. - Themes and Expression
Oracle Bone: Rediscovery of cultural essence; bridge between East-West; search for fundamental forms and communication with the divine/ancestral.
Hurricane: Search for the invisible and universal—chaos giving way to harmony, elemental forces, existence beyond form. More primal and existential. - Market and Legacy
Both periods are highly valued, but Hurricane works (especially 1960s large canvases) consistently achieve the highest auction records due to their dramatic scale, energy, and synthesis of traditions—often seen as the "apex" of his career.
US influences played a pivotal role in catalyzing and shaping this shift, providing Zao with a new sense of scale, spontaneity, physicality, and ambition that amplified his existing synthesis of Eastern and Western elements.
Key US Exposure and Timeline
The turning point came during Zao's extended travels beginning in 1957. After personal upheaval (including the end of his first marriage), he arrived in New York in the fall of 1957, initially joining French artist Pierre Soulages and his wife. This journey extended for nearly two years, taking him across the US and beyond before his return to Paris in 1959. New York, then the epicenter of postwar avant-garde art, exposed him directly to the raw power of Abstract Expressionism at its height.
This encounter "unsettled" and re-energized him. Upon returning, Zao broke decisively from the structured pseudo-characters of the Oracle Bone period, embracing a freer, more primal approach to painting "the unseen, the breath of life, the wind, movement." He described wanting to capture the "life of forms, the birth of colors and their fusion." The Hurricane Period's name itself evokes the stormy, forceful energy he channeled.
Specific US Influences
Zao drew from several core aspects of American Abstract Expressionism, adapting them to his own hybrid vision:
Impact on the Hurricane Period Style
These US inputs helped transform Zao's practice:
Recognition and Legacy of This Influence
Zao's engagement with the US scene elevated his international profile. His Kootz Gallery association placed him alongside leading American artists, and the Hurricane works gained acclaim for bridging cultures without exoticism. Retrospectives, such as "No Limits: Zao Wou-Ki" at Asia Society in New York, have highlighted this cross-pollination as central to his contribution to global postwar abstraction. In the market, Hurricane Period pieces—benefiting from this bold evolution—regularly achieve top prices, with large-scale examples from the 1960s (e.g., works like 29.09.64 or those with strong Kootz provenance) setting records due to their historical significance and visual power.
Overall, US influences did not "Americanize" Zao but provided catalytic ambition and techniques that allowed him to fully unleash a personal, hybrid vision. He remained bound by "two traditions"—Chinese and Western—creating something greater than either alone. This period stands as one of the most compelling examples of East-West dialogue in 20th-century art.
Key US Exposure and Timeline
The turning point came during Zao's extended travels beginning in 1957. After personal upheaval (including the end of his first marriage), he arrived in New York in the fall of 1957, initially joining French artist Pierre Soulages and his wife. This journey extended for nearly two years, taking him across the US and beyond before his return to Paris in 1959. New York, then the epicenter of postwar avant-garde art, exposed him directly to the raw power of Abstract Expressionism at its height.
This encounter "unsettled" and re-energized him. Upon returning, Zao broke decisively from the structured pseudo-characters of the Oracle Bone period, embracing a freer, more primal approach to painting "the unseen, the breath of life, the wind, movement." He described wanting to capture the "life of forms, the birth of colors and their fusion." The Hurricane Period's name itself evokes the stormy, forceful energy he channeled.
Specific US Influences
Zao drew from several core aspects of American Abstract Expressionism, adapting them to his own hybrid vision:
- Scale and Monumentality: He was inspired by the large-format ambitions of the New York School. Dealers like Samuel Kootz encouraged artists to work on expansive canvases ("a wall... uninhibited by the average collector's limited space"). Zao adopted bigger sizes (up to several meters), gaining greater freedom of movement and underlying tension. This allowed for the "grandiose" and "untamed" compositions characteristic of the Hurricane works.
- Gestural Energy and Spontaneity: He admired the physical, action-oriented painting—paint "thrown" onto the canvas with violence and freshness. This resonated with his own calligraphic roots but injected new vigor and boldness into his brushstrokes, creating swirling, explosive effects that feel like hurricanes or cosmic forces.
- Color and Atmospheric Effects: Influences encouraged bolder, more daring palettes, including layered complementary colors, high contrast, and luminous or misty passages that evoke seascapes, skies, or elemental turmoil.
- Franz Kline: Zao met Kline personally at a Soulages exhibition vernissage at the Kootz Gallery. Kline's bold, black-and-white gestural strokes—dynamic and architectonic—aligned with Zao's interest in energetic, calligraphic-like forms, though Zao integrated color and atmospheric depth more fully.
- Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman: Zao was particularly taken by their work's spontaneity, violence, and freshness. Rothko's color fields and Newman's expansive, contemplative spaces influenced the atmospheric and emotional depth in Zao's compositions, blending with Chinese concepts of space, void, and vital energy (qi).
- Other encounters: He met Philip Guston and dealer Samuel Kootz during the same period. Kootz, a champion of Abstract Expressionism (representing artists like Motherwell and de Kooning), became Zao's exclusive US agent from around 1959–1966. The gallery guaranteed purchases and promoted his work internationally, exposing him further to the movement's ethos.
Impact on the Hurricane Period Style
These US inputs helped transform Zao's practice:
- From relatively contained, sign-like forms to all-encompassing, turbulent fields full of movement and "battle"-like intensity (Zao once called painting a battle).
- Emphasis on untitled or date-only works, focusing on pure visual experience over narrative.
- A synthesis where Chinese elements (rhythm, light, space from landscape and calligraphy) met Western power and scale, creating a "transcendental abstraction" that felt both primal and universal.
Recognition and Legacy of This Influence
Zao's engagement with the US scene elevated his international profile. His Kootz Gallery association placed him alongside leading American artists, and the Hurricane works gained acclaim for bridging cultures without exoticism. Retrospectives, such as "No Limits: Zao Wou-Ki" at Asia Society in New York, have highlighted this cross-pollination as central to his contribution to global postwar abstraction. In the market, Hurricane Period pieces—benefiting from this bold evolution—regularly achieve top prices, with large-scale examples from the 1960s (e.g., works like 29.09.64 or those with strong Kootz provenance) setting records due to their historical significance and visual power.
Overall, US influences did not "Americanize" Zao but provided catalytic ambition and techniques that allowed him to fully unleash a personal, hybrid vision. He remained bound by "two traditions"—Chinese and Western—creating something greater than either alone. This period stands as one of the most compelling examples of East-West dialogue in 20th-century art.
Special Report
Influence of Pollock and Kline
Jackson Pollock's Influence on Zao Wou-Ki was significant but indirect and part of a broader engagement with Abstract Expressionism during the late 1950s. Pollock (1912–1956), the American pioneer of drip painting and action painting, embodied raw physicality, all-over composition, spontaneity, and the rejection of traditional easel painting—qualities that resonated with Zao as he transitioned from structured symbolism to explosive abstraction.
Zao did not meet Pollock personally (Pollock died in a car accident in August 1956), but he encountered his work and the New York School's energy firsthand during a transformative trip to the United States starting in fall 1957. Traveling with French artist Pierre Soulages, Zao visited New York, attended exhibitions, and met dealers and artists like Samuel Kootz, Franz Kline, Philip Guston, and others at the Kootz Gallery. He expressed admiration for the "spontaneity, violence, and freshness" in the gestural works of Pollock, Kline, Rothko, and Newman—particularly the physical act of throwing or dripping paint onto large canvases, which defied European conventions.
Specific Aspects of Influence
Zao did not meet Pollock personally (Pollock died in a car accident in August 1956), but he encountered his work and the New York School's energy firsthand during a transformative trip to the United States starting in fall 1957. Traveling with French artist Pierre Soulages, Zao visited New York, attended exhibitions, and met dealers and artists like Samuel Kootz, Franz Kline, Philip Guston, and others at the Kootz Gallery. He expressed admiration for the "spontaneity, violence, and freshness" in the gestural works of Pollock, Kline, Rothko, and Newman—particularly the physical act of throwing or dripping paint onto large canvases, which defied European conventions.
Specific Aspects of Influence
- Gestural Energy and Physicality — Pollock's drip technique and full-body action painting inspired Zao's embrace of vigorous, unrestrained brushwork. This helped catalyze the Hurricane Period (1959–1972), where Zao adopted explosive, swirling strokes, splatters, and layered chaos—evoking storms and cosmic forces.
- Scale and All-Over Composition — Pollock's monumental canvases filled edge-to-edge with dynamic marks influenced Zao's shift to larger formats (often several meters wide), creating immersive, non-hierarchical surfaces where energy pulses everywhere.
- Freedom from Form — Pollock's rejection of representation and emphasis on process over product encouraged Zao's "decisive break" from the more symbolic, script-like forms of his Oracle Bone Period toward primal, non-representational vitality.
- Ink Parallels — Some of Zao's black-and-white ink works (suggested by poet Henri Michaux) have been compared to Pollock's drips for their rhythmic, flowing abstraction, though Zao rooted his in Chinese cursive calligraphy (caoshu or "flying white") rather than pure chance.
Franz Kline's Influence on Zao Wou-Ki was notable within the broader context of Abstract Expressionism, particularly during Zao's pivotal 1957 visits to New York. Franz Kline (1910–1962), an American Abstract Expressionist famous for his bold, large-scale black-and-white paintings featuring thick, dynamic brushstrokes resembling calligraphic forms or industrial structures, embodied raw gestural power, high-contrast drama, and architectural strength in abstraction.
Zao encountered Kline's work (and met him personally through the Kootz Gallery circle, alongside Philip Guston and dealer Samuel Kootz) during trips starting in 1957 with Pierre Soulages. These experiences exposed Zao to the visceral, physical energy of New York School action painting. Kline's style—aggressive, sweeping black forms against white grounds, evoking compressed space and explosive movement—resonated with Zao, who admired the "spontaneity, violence, and freshness" in such gestural works.
Specific Aspects of Influence
Where Oracle Bone works feel esoteric and rooted in cultural rediscovery, Hurricane pieces pulse with Kline-like aggression and physicality—bold strokes clashing across vast surfaces—while retaining Zao's calligraphic roots and Eastern lyricism.
Zao encountered Kline's work (and met him personally through the Kootz Gallery circle, alongside Philip Guston and dealer Samuel Kootz) during trips starting in 1957 with Pierre Soulages. These experiences exposed Zao to the visceral, physical energy of New York School action painting. Kline's style—aggressive, sweeping black forms against white grounds, evoking compressed space and explosive movement—resonated with Zao, who admired the "spontaneity, violence, and freshness" in such gestural works.
Specific Aspects of Influence
- Bold Gestural Brushwork and Scale — Kline's monumental canvases with thick, calligraphic-like strokes inspired Zao to enlarge his formats and adopt more vigorous, full-body gestures. This contributed to the shift toward larger, immersive paintings in the Hurricane Period (1959–1972), where Zao's lines surge with similar dramatic force.
- Calligraphic Parallels — Ironically, while Kline drew inspiration from Chinese and Japanese calligraphy for his emotive, abstract "writing," Zao—rooted in authentic Chinese traditions—found validation in Kline's approach. It encouraged Zao to amplify his own cursive, "flying white" (caoshu) influences into bolder, more explosive abstractions rather than contained signs.
- High-Contrast Drama and Structure — Kline's stark black-on-white contrasts and architectural quality influenced Zao's use of bold blacks, deep tones, and structural tension in Hurricane works, creating a sense of compressed energy and spatial depth.
- Freedom in Abstraction — Kline's rejection of figuration and emphasis on pure gesture helped Zao move further from the symbolic, script-based restraint of his Oracle Bone Period toward primal, non-representational vitality.
Where Oracle Bone works feel esoteric and rooted in cultural rediscovery, Hurricane pieces pulse with Kline-like aggression and physicality—bold strokes clashing across vast surfaces—while retaining Zao's calligraphic roots and Eastern lyricism.
1960 20.03.60
2020 SOLD for HK$ 115M by Sotheby's
Zao intelligently appreciated that his Oracle Bones cannot build a universal art. His new Hurricane series offers an unprecedented synthesis of abstract expressionism and action painting, on large canvases that facilitate the amplitude and the violence of the gesture.
The name "Hurricane" (sometimes translated as "Tempest" or "Storm") reflects the wild, swirling force of the paintings: untamed brushstrokes that surge, clash, and explode across large canvases, evoking cosmic chaos, natural forces, wind, light, and the origins of the universe. It coincided with personal turmoil and a return to Paris.
Key Characteristics
The transition was not instantaneous. 14.12.59, 130 x 162 cm, sold for HK $ 177M by Christie's in 2018, is one of the ultimate masterpieces from the first Oracle Bones. The examples below are Hurricanes.
In a vertical format, 3.4.60-1.2.69 evokes an endless swirl. This oil on canvas 195 x 130 cm was sold for HK $ 71M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2013. Also vertical, 12.15.60 preserves some traces of oracles. This oil on canvas 130 x 96 cm was sold for HK $ 49M by Sotheby's on September 30, 2018.
On July 8, 2020, Sotheby's listed two Hurricanes, in horizontal formats that anticipate the abstract panoramas of the next phase, from 1963 to 1966. With a dominant intense blue, 19.11.59, oil on canvas 114 x 146 cm, was sold for HK $ 110M from a lower estimate of HK $ 60M, lot 1018. With the colors of fire, 20.03.60, oil on canvas 130 x 162 cm, was sold for HK $ 115M from a lower estimate of HK $ 65M, lot 1017.
The name "Hurricane" (sometimes translated as "Tempest" or "Storm") reflects the wild, swirling force of the paintings: untamed brushstrokes that surge, clash, and explode across large canvases, evoking cosmic chaos, natural forces, wind, light, and the origins of the universe. It coincided with personal turmoil and a return to Paris.
Key Characteristics
- Scale and Format — Monumental canvases, often very large (up to several meters wide or tall), allowing full-body gestural painting. Many were created in his spacious Paris studio with abundant natural light, enabling dramatic plays of shadow and luminosity.
- Brushwork and Technique — Vigorous, cursive-like strokes inspired by Chinese feibai ("flying white") calligraphy—dry, rapid marks that create a sense of flight, speed, and motion. Explosive lines burst from central axes, with splatters, layers, and thick impasto.
- Composition — Frequently vertical or horizontal formats with surging energy rising from bottom to top, central bursts of force, or three-part structures (dark top/bottom framing a luminous middle). No literal forms; pure abstraction conveying vitality, tension, and release.
- Color Palette — Vivid and varied: deep blues and teals evoking stormy seas or cosmic depths; fiery reds (rare and highly prized); earthy browns, blacks, and glowing oranges; whites and silvers for light effects. Colors often layered to suggest depth, mist, or elemental struggle.
- Themes — A search for the invisible—forces of nature, existence, chaos giving way to harmony, and a synthesis of East-West traditions. The works pulse with living energy, as if capturing wind, light, or primal creation.
The transition was not instantaneous. 14.12.59, 130 x 162 cm, sold for HK $ 177M by Christie's in 2018, is one of the ultimate masterpieces from the first Oracle Bones. The examples below are Hurricanes.
In a vertical format, 3.4.60-1.2.69 evokes an endless swirl. This oil on canvas 195 x 130 cm was sold for HK $ 71M by Sotheby's on October 5, 2013. Also vertical, 12.15.60 preserves some traces of oracles. This oil on canvas 130 x 96 cm was sold for HK $ 49M by Sotheby's on September 30, 2018.
On July 8, 2020, Sotheby's listed two Hurricanes, in horizontal formats that anticipate the abstract panoramas of the next phase, from 1963 to 1966. With a dominant intense blue, 19.11.59, oil on canvas 114 x 146 cm, was sold for HK $ 110M from a lower estimate of HK $ 60M, lot 1018. With the colors of fire, 20.03.60, oil on canvas 130 x 162 cm, was sold for HK $ 115M from a lower estimate of HK $ 65M, lot 1017.
1962 13.02.62
2021 SOLD for HK$ 163M by Sotheby's
In 1962 Zao Wou-Ki is happy. He is madly in love with his second wife, the young and charming May, who understands his art and encourages him.
On April 18, 2021, Sotheby's sold 13.2.62, oil on canvas 130 x 162 cm, for HK $ 163M from a lower estimate of HK $ 100M, lot 1021. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
The date of this work is doubly auspicious. On the one hand February 13 is the eve of Valentine's Day. On the other hand, the artist maintained doubts about the real date of his birth 42 years earlier, a February 1st or a 13th. This curiosity has not been explained but corresponds almost exactly to the discrepancy between the Julian and Gregorian calendars, which his parents could not ignore less than three years after the October Revolution.
13.2.62 is a synthesis of his two most recent styles. It contains pseudo-calligraphy like the Oracle Bones, in a horizontal composition like the Hurricanes.
It is divided into three registers, the arrangement of which evokes Rothko. The upper part is bright red, the color of the best auspices and of the greatest energy. The two lower registers are silvery white. Pseudo-calligraphies are not centrifugal but ascending, which is another mark of energy. They take off on the boundary between the white sections.
On April 18, 2021, Sotheby's sold 13.2.62, oil on canvas 130 x 162 cm, for HK $ 163M from a lower estimate of HK $ 100M, lot 1021. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
The date of this work is doubly auspicious. On the one hand February 13 is the eve of Valentine's Day. On the other hand, the artist maintained doubts about the real date of his birth 42 years earlier, a February 1st or a 13th. This curiosity has not been explained but corresponds almost exactly to the discrepancy between the Julian and Gregorian calendars, which his parents could not ignore less than three years after the October Revolution.
13.2.62 is a synthesis of his two most recent styles. It contains pseudo-calligraphy like the Oracle Bones, in a horizontal composition like the Hurricanes.
It is divided into three registers, the arrangement of which evokes Rothko. The upper part is bright red, the color of the best auspices and of the greatest energy. The two lower registers are silvery white. Pseudo-calligraphies are not centrifugal but ascending, which is another mark of energy. They take off on the boundary between the white sections.
1964 29.01.64
2017 SOLD for HK$ 203M by Christie's
Zao Wou-Ki is passionate about art since childhood. His grandfather teaches him calligraphy. Later in Europe he often uses that specifically Chinese philosophy in his abstract art.
Calligraphy is a visual art with its five shades of ink. Like Western graphology it reveals the behavior and energy of the writer. The emperors used huge autograph characters to convey to the court their moral precepts as the Sons of Heaven.
At first Zao's message is primarily visual. When he incorporates lines in his abstract theme of natural forces, they do not constitute words. The synthesis will come later : in 1957 he integrates into his works some paleo-writing elements from the oracle bones.
Zao is attentive to anything that can exacerbate his exceptional energy. His visits to New York teach him to leave freedom to the movement of the hand, which does not exclude a repetition of the gesture to achieve an unlimited entanglement of colors. He also cancels any reluctance to monumentality despite the material difficulties for its implementation, as Rothko had done ten years earlier.
His abstract landscapes become gorgeous. 09.01.63 was sold for HK $ 76M by Sotheby's on September 30, 2017. 29.09.64 was sold for HK $ 280M by Christie's on May 26, 2022.
Painted in the mean time, 29.01.64, oil on canvas 260 x 200 cm, retrieves altogether the vertical format and the memory of the imperial calligraphy. A kaleidoscopic landscape is masked by a gigantic sign with complex lines in which Chinese readers globally recognize the character meaning love or longevity. Westerners may instead see a big tree in the storm.
29.01.64 was sold for HK $ 203M from a lower estimate of HK $ 85M by Christie's on November 25, 2017, lot 24. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Calligraphy is a visual art with its five shades of ink. Like Western graphology it reveals the behavior and energy of the writer. The emperors used huge autograph characters to convey to the court their moral precepts as the Sons of Heaven.
At first Zao's message is primarily visual. When he incorporates lines in his abstract theme of natural forces, they do not constitute words. The synthesis will come later : in 1957 he integrates into his works some paleo-writing elements from the oracle bones.
Zao is attentive to anything that can exacerbate his exceptional energy. His visits to New York teach him to leave freedom to the movement of the hand, which does not exclude a repetition of the gesture to achieve an unlimited entanglement of colors. He also cancels any reluctance to monumentality despite the material difficulties for its implementation, as Rothko had done ten years earlier.
His abstract landscapes become gorgeous. 09.01.63 was sold for HK $ 76M by Sotheby's on September 30, 2017. 29.09.64 was sold for HK $ 280M by Christie's on May 26, 2022.
Painted in the mean time, 29.01.64, oil on canvas 260 x 200 cm, retrieves altogether the vertical format and the memory of the imperial calligraphy. A kaleidoscopic landscape is masked by a gigantic sign with complex lines in which Chinese readers globally recognize the character meaning love or longevity. Westerners may instead see a big tree in the storm.
29.01.64 was sold for HK $ 203M from a lower estimate of HK $ 85M by Christie's on November 25, 2017, lot 24. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
1964 22.07.64
2018 SOLD for HK$ 116M by Christie's
Painted in 1964 by Zao Wou-Ki, 22.7.64 is an abstract scenery of tumultuous action of the wrist in only three colors, bright yellow, inky black, and pure white, in various combinations and hues. It has been viewed by some observers as a dragon flying through clouds and mist in Zao's pseudo-writing oracle bone style.
This oil on canvas 162 x 200 cm was sold by Christie's for HK $ 35.4M on November 26, 2011, lot 1006 and for HK $ 116M on November 24, 2018, lot 4.
This oil on canvas 162 x 200 cm was sold by Christie's for HK $ 35.4M on November 26, 2011, lot 1006 and for HK $ 116M on November 24, 2018, lot 4.
1964 29.09.64
2022 SOLD for HK$ 280M by Christie's
Zao Wou-Ki reaches a new level of his maturity in the early 1960s. His intense art no longer needs references to other artists. Alone in his studio he lets his inner tensions explode at full speed. He had learned from the abstract expressionists of New York the advantage of the large formats with which the artist increases the amplitude and the speed of the movement.
His vast and tormented landscapes with a perspective and a horizon in fact come exclusively from his subconscious. His fire based planet is composed of incandescent whirls and of lava flows.
29.9.64 is his largest format on its date, originally 255 x 345 cm later reduced to 230 x 345 cm under the supervision of the artist. The dominant darkness is embellished with saturated blue fighting with bright white in the foreground and an orange center.
The large surface allows a multitude of minute details that constitute together the sumptuous balance of the universe while resorting to the widest variety of techniques : impasto, transparent layers, drips, splashes and pseudo-calligraphy.
Two weeks later the Hommage à Edgar Varèse executed in the same original size confirms a key to the creativity of Zao at that time. He was passionate about contemporary music and a great friend of Varèse. The musician knew how to place silences in the midst of the noise just like the tumultuous landscapes of the artist include quiet details.
29.9.64 was sold by Christie's for HK $ 153M on May 27, 2017, lot 4. and for HK $ 280M on May 26, 2022, lot 15.
2.1.65 is a late example of Zao's Hurricane style in the large format 162 x 200 cm. The violent brush strokes bring some reminiscence from a cursive calligraphy style in the following of his Oracle Bones. This oil on canvas was sold for HK $ 21M by Christie's on May 29, 2010, lot 1006.
Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's before it was withdrawn on November 11, 2024, lot 14.
His vast and tormented landscapes with a perspective and a horizon in fact come exclusively from his subconscious. His fire based planet is composed of incandescent whirls and of lava flows.
29.9.64 is his largest format on its date, originally 255 x 345 cm later reduced to 230 x 345 cm under the supervision of the artist. The dominant darkness is embellished with saturated blue fighting with bright white in the foreground and an orange center.
The large surface allows a multitude of minute details that constitute together the sumptuous balance of the universe while resorting to the widest variety of techniques : impasto, transparent layers, drips, splashes and pseudo-calligraphy.
Two weeks later the Hommage à Edgar Varèse executed in the same original size confirms a key to the creativity of Zao at that time. He was passionate about contemporary music and a great friend of Varèse. The musician knew how to place silences in the midst of the noise just like the tumultuous landscapes of the artist include quiet details.
29.9.64 was sold by Christie's for HK $ 153M on May 27, 2017, lot 4. and for HK $ 280M on May 26, 2022, lot 15.
2.1.65 is a late example of Zao's Hurricane style in the large format 162 x 200 cm. The violent brush strokes bring some reminiscence from a cursive calligraphy style in the following of his Oracle Bones. This oil on canvas was sold for HK $ 21M by Christie's on May 29, 2010, lot 1006.
Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's before it was withdrawn on November 11, 2024, lot 14.
masterpiece
1972 En Mémoire de May
Centre Pompidou
Zao Wou-Ki is devastated by the death of his wife May on March 10, 1972 at the age of 41. En Mémoire de May, painted in 1972, is a monumental oil on canvas, 200 x 530 cm, which he presents to the French state in the next year. It is kept at the Centre Pompidou.
To rebuild his life and his philosophy, he travels frequently to China and uses very large formats to simulate an infinite space. In 1977 he marries his third wife, Françoise.
To rebuild his life and his philosophy, he travels frequently to China and uses very large formats to simulate an infinite space. In 1977 he marries his third wife, Françoise.
monumental triptychs
1985 Juin-Octobre 1985
2018 SOLD for HK$ 510M by Sotheby's
The architect I.M. Pei has considerably influenced the style of the great modern cities. When his fame becomes international, he revisits his native China. In the 1970s the Far East no longer wants its urbanism to follow the West. They always desire higher, more spectacular, more functional. Pei is building an office skyscraper 198 meters high in Singapore.
Zao Wou-Ki also made his own return to his sources. In the 1980s the originality of his abstract paintings inspired by East and West met with great success in the Far East.
Pei is creating in Singapore a complex named Raffles City based on a tower and two hotels, and incorporating a shopping center and a convention center. In 1985 the project is advanced enough to anticipate the interior design. Zao is traveling in the Far East. Pei makes him visit the Raffles site and commissions him a gigantic painting for adorning the grand lobby of the main building alongside abstractions by Ellsworth Kelly and Kenneth Noland in the minimalist taste of the architect.
Back in France, Zao prepares this work with a passion comparable to Monet opening with the Grandes Décorations the ultimate phase of his career. The result is a triptych of oils on canvas, 2.80 m x 10 m overall, which is installed in 1986 as planned and will remain there until 2005. Contrary to Zao's usual practice, the title is not a mere date but a period, Juin-Octobre 1985, thus confirming the prolonged attention given by the artist in its execution.
Juin-Octobre 1985 is the most monumental artwork in Zao's entire career. According to his inspiration in that decade, it evokes the mystical unicity between nature and the infinite. The incandescent center is seen beyond a dark curtain accented by strident blue.
It was sold for HK $ 510M from an expectation beyond HK $ 350M by Sotheby's on September 30, 2018, lot 1004.
Response by Grok :
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Wall Power @artmarket Sep 7, 2018
Sotheby’s Unveils Massive $45m Zao Wou-ki for Hong Kong https://artmarketmonitor.com/2018/09/07/sothebys-unveils-massive-45m-zao-wou-ki-for-hong-kong/…
Zao Wou-Ki also made his own return to his sources. In the 1980s the originality of his abstract paintings inspired by East and West met with great success in the Far East.
Pei is creating in Singapore a complex named Raffles City based on a tower and two hotels, and incorporating a shopping center and a convention center. In 1985 the project is advanced enough to anticipate the interior design. Zao is traveling in the Far East. Pei makes him visit the Raffles site and commissions him a gigantic painting for adorning the grand lobby of the main building alongside abstractions by Ellsworth Kelly and Kenneth Noland in the minimalist taste of the architect.
Back in France, Zao prepares this work with a passion comparable to Monet opening with the Grandes Décorations the ultimate phase of his career. The result is a triptych of oils on canvas, 2.80 m x 10 m overall, which is installed in 1986 as planned and will remain there until 2005. Contrary to Zao's usual practice, the title is not a mere date but a period, Juin-Octobre 1985, thus confirming the prolonged attention given by the artist in its execution.
Juin-Octobre 1985 is the most monumental artwork in Zao's entire career. According to his inspiration in that decade, it evokes the mystical unicity between nature and the infinite. The incandescent center is seen beyond a dark curtain accented by strident blue.
It was sold for HK $ 510M from an expectation beyond HK $ 350M by Sotheby's on September 30, 2018, lot 1004.
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Wall Power @artmarket Sep 7, 2018
Sotheby’s Unveils Massive $45m Zao Wou-ki for Hong Kong https://artmarketmonitor.com/2018/09/07/sothebys-unveils-massive-45m-zao-wou-ki-for-hong-kong/…
- The post highlights a $45 million Zao Wou-ki painting sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong in 2018, a record-breaking sale for an Asian artist, surpassing his previous $26 million auction record from 2017, reflecting the growing global demand for abstract Chinese art.
- Zao Wou-ki’s work, influenced by Western artists like Matisse and Abstract Expressionists, blends Chinese ink techniques with large-scale oil paintings, a fusion validated by his 1982 commission for the Fragrant Hills Hotel by I. M. Pei, showcasing cross-cultural artistic innovation.
- Art market data from Artsy’s 2025 report indicates a 15% annual increase in high-value Asian art sales since 2018, driven by young collectors, suggesting the $45 million sale was a pivotal moment in redefining the economic value of abstract art from non-Western origins.
1988 Triptyque 1987-1988
2019 SOLD for HK$ 178M by Christie's
On May 25, 2019, Christie's sold for HK $ 178M from a lower estimate of HK $ 120M an oil on canvas 200 x 486 cm titled Triptyque 1987-1988, lot 38. Please watch the video prepared by the auction house.
This triptych completed in 1988 is conceived as a tribute to Monet and Matisse, more precisely to the harmonious blend of colors and lights of the Grandes Décorations and to the Collioure window that opens onto the landscape like a stage curtain. Zao associates with this European acknowledgement his Chinese sensibility, in a composition where the absence of perspective is a way to evoke the infinity of the world.
This triptych completed in 1988 is conceived as a tribute to Monet and Matisse, more precisely to the harmonious blend of colors and lights of the Grandes Décorations and to the Collioure window that opens onto the landscape like a stage curtain. Zao associates with this European acknowledgement his Chinese sensibility, in a composition where the absence of perspective is a way to evoke the infinity of the world.
masterpiece
1991 Hommage à Claude Monet
private collection
Zao Wou-Ki had a lifelong quest for infinity represented by the asters in the sky. Pierre Matisse, his New York dealer and agent in the 1980s, managed to inspire him also from his figurative predecessors at the border of abstraction.
While his own work remained abstract, he introduced arched framings in front of his unlimited brawls of elements. In 1986 an Hommage à Henri Matisse is more precisely inspired from La Fenêtre Ouverte à Collioure. Henri Matisse was Pierre's father. His art also became brighter after he met Zhang Daqian in Taipei in 1983.
Then went Monet, both for his impressionist touch and for his theme of La Porte d'Aval in Etretat, the spectacular rocky arch that frames the view onto the Aiguille. 29.02.88, oil on canvas 162 x 130 cm, is such an acbstract arch and sky composition. It was sold for HK $ 50M by Sotheby's on July 8, 2020, lot 1016. The monumental triptych Hommage à Claude Monet, 194 x 480 cm painted in 1991, is the culmination of that trend.
While his own work remained abstract, he introduced arched framings in front of his unlimited brawls of elements. In 1986 an Hommage à Henri Matisse is more precisely inspired from La Fenêtre Ouverte à Collioure. Henri Matisse was Pierre's father. His art also became brighter after he met Zhang Daqian in Taipei in 1983.
Then went Monet, both for his impressionist touch and for his theme of La Porte d'Aval in Etretat, the spectacular rocky arch that frames the view onto the Aiguille. 29.02.88, oil on canvas 162 x 130 cm, is such an acbstract arch and sky composition. It was sold for HK $ 50M by Sotheby's on July 8, 2020, lot 1016. The monumental triptych Hommage à Claude Monet, 194 x 480 cm painted in 1991, is the culmination of that trend.
