An exclusive artwork by Zao Wou-Ki at auction

On November 22, 2023, Aguttes will be auctioning a previously unpublished work by Zao Wou-Ki. The artist himself offered this ink to its current owner, who has kept it to this day. In addition to its original aspect, this abstract work has a number of assets, not least of which is its very large size for an ink. Collectors seek out these formats by Zao Wou-Ki. Zao Wou-Ki's work, which provoked a number of major upswings, is now enjoying a degree of stability, contributing to the popularity of Asian artists on the European and Asian markets. He is ranked 23rd on Artprice and is expected to sell for 82 million euros in 2022. Major museums, such as the MAM Paris, preserve his works.

This large-scale abstract ink dates from the 2000s, and is a mature work by Zao Wou-Ki. A quintessential example of the artist's research into radical aesthetics! Zao Wou-Ki's late works are highly coveted, and bear witness to an assertive style. Halfway between East and West, the naturalized French Chinese artist was quick to reconcile the tradition of his homeland with the radicalism he discovered among the artists of the New School of Paris. A perfect example of the indisputable popularity of contemporary Asian artists, Zao Wou-Ki quickly established himself as one of the biggest names in contemporary art, as well as one of the most spectacular sellers on the secondary market.


Zao Wou-Ki (1921-2013) Sans titre, 2000
Ink on rice paper, signed and dated lower right 101 x 106 cm (rice paper) 111 x 117 cm (entire sheet)
Provenance: Gift from the artist to the current owner Private collection, Neuilly-sur-Seine
Estimate: 300 000 / 500 000 €

A deeply spiritual artist. Like the German Romantics, for whom the divine was not to be found in church stone but in nature, Chu Teh Chun's painting is at one with nature. He reduces it to its purest essence, using abstraction to sublimate it. This 1991 canvas, at once tumultuous and lively, carries within it a singular form of serenity. The colors, sometimes complementary, sometimes harmonious, mix and clash in a frenzied dance, punctuated by curves and counter-curves, flat areas of paint and removals of matter.


Chu Teh-Chun (1920-2014), Abstraction, 1991 Oil on canvas, signed and dated lower right 73 x 91 cm
Provenance: Purchased from Galerie Régis Dorval, Le Touquet, in 1991 Private collection, France
Estimate: 220 000 - 280 000 €

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An oil on canvas from 1949 by Pierre Soulages
A painter of black and light, Pierre Soulages is a rarity on the auction block, despite the fact that over 110 museums on every continent exhibit his work. His works, with their broad, dark lines and meaningful curves, assert the artist's astonishing simplicity. Having produced over 1,550 paintings, the artist has established himself as a major figure of abstraction, whose compositions continue to arouse curiosity.
In its unusual format, this elegant oil on canvas from 1949 foreshadows Soulages' later revolutionary approach to form, texture and color. Pushing back the boundaries of artistic expression, he bridged the gap between tradition and innovation, securing himself a place in the pantheon of this century's greatest artists.


Pierre Soulages (1919-2023), Peinture 10,6 x 8 cm, 1949 Oil on cardboard 10.6 x 8 cm
Provenance: Collection of Mme Guy Marester, Paris Private collection, France
Estimate: 200 000 - 300 000 €

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Upcoming Contemporary Art auction
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Click here to discover the lots

For further information, please contact
Ophélie Guillerot
+33 1 47 45 93 02 
guillerot@aguttes.com