EDUTAINMENT
Edutainment > Chinese Art Prints from the Collection H.T.
Auction # 592 of artelino offers Chinese art prints from the collection of H.T. This article informs about the history of this collection and presents the artists and a few selected works.
The Collection H.T.
It was in early 2007 when an European art collector showed up in artelino auctions for the first time. His rather aggressive bidding style and the large quantities of prints he bought in our auctions at first caused some confusion among our clients.
H.T. soon focused his bidding activities on modern Chinese art prints. Within one year he acquired a respectable collection of modern Chinese art prints. He had a vague intention to open a gallery for contemporary Chinese art in Europe. But he could not realize his plans. In February of 2008 he passed away unexpected. His heirs did not want to keep the collection and entrusted the sale of more than a thousand art prints and paintings to artelino
Chinese Art Prints - What to Look For?
H.T., an experienced art collector, had rather clear ideas what to look for in modern Chinese art prints to expect a reasonable increase in value. These are some general rules that one can apply to all kind of modern art prints;
- Go for small editions. For historical reasons the Chinese printmakers have kept their art print designs in small editions, sometimes as small as only 5 copies.
- Chinese art prints from the 1990s are rarer than those created after 2000 and have the best chances to achieve high prices in the future.
- Go for art prints that have been shown in important exhibitions like the National Chinese Prints Exhibition, or that are in museum possession or have been published in catalogs or books.
- Look at the artists. Take top prints by well established artists. They are maybe "expensive", but on long term these prints offer the best chances of an increase in value.
- Go also for young, emerging artists with good, promising art works. Their art prints are cheaper and if the artist climbs up the ladder of fame, you made a bargain.
Follow these simple rules if the value development of your art portfolio matters for you. But do not forget the basic rule that art is primarily meant to give you enjoyment, beauty and the pleasure of contemplation and possession. Buy art objects only if you like them and if you think that the art object is worth the requested price.
The Artists
The following is a short presentation of the artists represented in artelino's art auction # 592 taking place from August 20 until August 24.
Li Yanpeng - born 1958
Li Yanpeng is one of the pioneers of reduction woodblock prints. Art prints depicting the landscape and the harsh life of the rural population of the Loess Plateau made him famous. His usual edition size has been 20 copies. The technique of the reduction woodblock print insure that no further copies can be pulled. Most of Li Yanpeng's art works are printed on a solid paper of good quality.
Early designs of the artist are sold out. In late 2007 the asking price of Li Yanpeng was $ 1,000 and more per print.
Hao Ping born 1952
Hao Ping is one of the early masters of modern Chinese woodblock printmaking. He has worked in woodblock technique. Hao Ping prints with thick oil-based colors. Favorite subjects of his early art prints are compositions showing women in stylized compositions from the ethnic minorities in Yunnan or Tibetan people in strong colors. If you like colors and exciting compositions, then Hao Ping is your artist.
Edition sizes are usually between 50 and 100. Most designs, mainly those made before 2000, are sold out. Many pieces have now become very rare. Prices have at least doubled within the last 5 years.
Hao Ping is a typical respresentative of the Yunnan Art School.
Yu Chengyou born 1953
Yu Chengyou creates very elaborate woodblock prints on a high level of craftsmanship. His edition size is usually around 50. Subjects are the landscapes and wildlife of Heilongjiang province and classical themes taken from the rich cultural past of China - including old Chinese calligraphy.
Woodblock prints by Yu Chengyou have been available for quite cheap prices until in 2007 when Chinese galleries bought most of his stock. To our knowledge currently only very few designs are available by Yu Chengyou and only for elevated prices.
Yu Changyou is a typical representative of Beidahuang Art School.
Yang Yongsheng born 1967
Yang Yongsheng is director of the Qujing Print Institute. His artworks are in Chinese and Japanese museums. Mr. Yang Yongsheng gained awards at art exhibitions in Yunnan and in Canada. In 2005 the artist received a full fellowship by the Ford Foundation and began to make his Master of Fine Arts at the University of Hawaii.
Mr. Yang Yongsheng creates woodblock prints, reduction woodblock prints, etchings and paintings. The subjects are focused on impressions from Yunnan and Tibet and on plants and insects. Some of his works appear as abstract, but usually even these compositions are based on real objects and themes.
Among the artist's early designs are prints from the 1990s that are now sold out. The collection of H.T. contains a few of these now extremely rare pieces. We expect prices for these early works to rise sharply in the future.
Over the last three years Yang Yongsheng created a series of smaller, colorful, very attractive and inexpensive prints in editions of 20. These will be offered in later auctions.
Wen Mujiang born 1970
Wen Mujiang is a young artist who opened his own art studio in 2006. Before, the artist carved and printed his large woodblock prints on the balcony of his apartment.
Wen Mujiang's art prints are spectacular. They deal with China's past and the current cultural changes in China. Early woodblock print series are:
Art prints by Wen Mujiang are not quite cheap. But they have very small editions and are extremely well made. They are an excellent buy.
Su Yansheng - born 1961
Su Yansheng is an extremely versatile artist who works in more than one printing technique - woodblocks, reduction woodblocks, etchings and silkscreens. Currently he works as professor at Fine Art Institute of Ningxia University. His editions sizes are usually small, sometimes as small as only 5 prints. In relation to the low editions, prices of ca. $500 are a bargain.
The artist's works are among our personal favorites.
Wu Wanxi - born 1977
Wu Wanxi is a female artist from Yunnan. Art prints from the series They were shown at the 16th and at the 17th National Printmaking Exhibition - the top level printmaking exhibitions in China - and awarded with a prize of excellence in both exhibitions. The series shows bust portraits of women from different periods of China in the 20th century.
Wu Wanxi's woodblock prints are very large. The edition is extremely small. Unfortunately the series They and other prints are printed on a rather poor, thin Chinese paper. Western buyers who are used to the fine, French or British laid papers, should know this. Many Chinese art prints, mainly the early ones, are printed on a paper that is below Western standard. It does not influence the value of the print.
For editions of less than 10, even 6 copies, reserves of $ 500 are a bargain for art prints that were awarded twice in China's top national print exhibitions and published in the official catalog.
Ma Li born 1958
Ma Li is a classical legend who has been active as a printmaker in Yunnan from the early days since the opening of the Chinese art scene in early 1980. Ma Li's woodblock prints are about mountains and the people who live in the valleys of these mountains. He works in reduction woodblock technique. His style is expressive. Most famous are his very large mountain landscapes printed on a thick glossy paper. These and early works are no longer available, not by the artist and not in the market.
When the artist produced his early reduction woodblock prints, there was no art market in China for prints. Ma Li, like other printmakers, were state-employed. When they created woodblock prints, they did so to gain fame at provincial and national art exhibitions. Additional copies were given away as presents to friends or kept by the artists for own use.
Li Ju born 1963
Li Ju is a well-established artist. Currently he is a vice professor of Qujing Teacher's College, president of the Teaching Office, member of Chinese Fine Arts Artists association, a managing director of Qujing Artists Association and director of Qujing Printmaking Art Committee.
Li Ju works in reduction woodblock technique. His subjects and even the sizes of his prints are very diverse. Li Ju is not specialized in just one theme. Many prints are spectacular. Some others may be in demand in China, but do not meet so much the taste of Western buyers like for instance his series of prints showing images of stones.
The small editions and still modest prices make this artist very attractive for collectors.
Zhuang Yanjun born 1981
Zhuang Yanjun was born into a Buddhist family. He has specialized in woodblock prints, paintings and sculptures with Buddhist subjects. Preferred subjects are portraits of people from ethnic minorities with a Buddhist background. His woodblocks are very impressive and are created in reduction woodblock technique. Zhuang Yanjun is well-established. Recently we published some photographs and a report from a solo exhibition of the artist in a plush gallery in Hangzhou, China.
Edition sizes are low with ca. 20 copies. Regarding the small editions and the amount of work for one of these elaborately done works, the current prices are very moderate. Due to his subjects, Zhuang Yanjun's works of art are unique in China, and rising prices are to be expected.
Liu Panwu born 1984
Liu Panwu was discovered by our art agent in China. His series Asking for Flowers and others caused heavy bidding fights in several auctions with spectacular results of more than $1,000 for one of his etchings. That obviously attracted the attention of art dealers in China. One Beijing art gallery took Liu Panwu under an exclusive three-year contract buying all his art works on stock plus the production of three years in advance.
H.T. was the carp in the auction pond and remained the winner for about half of Liu Panwu's etchings offered. We decided to offer these prints nearly for their original reserves. But we expect hammered prices that are by far above the reserves.
Wang Zuocai born 1959
Wang Zuocai is a leading artist from the autonomous Chinese province of Inner Mongolia. Typical for Mongolian artists his subjects are centered around the glorious history from the days of Genghis Khan and the life of the Mongolian nomads.
The artist's reduction woodblock prints are usually huge in size. The colors are kept in somber tones of brown, black, gray and white. They are usually printed on thick, glossy papers. Edition sizes are extremely small - below 10 copies. Prices are a bargain regarding the edition sizes and the huge sizes.
Shi Yanqing born 1979
Shi Yanqing is a student of famous master artist Zhang Minjie. The young artist exhibited at provincial and national Chinese art shows and won several prizes. He works in woodblock reduction technique. Best known is his series My Villagers. In this series the artist portrays people from his hometown. Though the people depicted are so different, they are all united through their smile and a simple gesture, a hand held over one eye.
The artist's prints are very well-made. And with editions below 10 pieces, reserves of $ 700 are an excellent buy. Prices for Shi Yanqing's art works have recently gone up considerably in China.
The images on this web site are the property of the artist(s) and or the artelino GmbH and/or a third company/institution. Reproduction, public display and any commercial use of these images, in whole or in part, require the expressed written consent of the artist(s) and/or the artelino GmbH. .
Chinese Art Prints
Current Local Time: Thursday, December 04, 2008, 8:34:09 PM Central European Time