‘Chinese Modern Paintings span from the end of the Qing dynasty until present day,’ explains Sara Mao, specialist and Head of Sale at Christie’s Hong Kong. ‘I love this particular period of Chinese history because these artists lived through tumultuous and uncertain times.’
Mao states that her favourite artist is Zhang Daqian: ‘He really was a genius who perfected all the skills in the different categories of Chinese paintings — from figures to birds and flowers, culminating to his most well-known splashed ink painting works from his later period.’
As well as talking about one of Zhang Daqian’s most important early works, the specialist discusses the ‘linear narrative in Chinese paintings’, and offers expert advice on how to start collecting: ‘It is important to collect what you love,’ she says. ‘There is such large body of works and you can always move forwards and backwards in time — backwards to classical paintings and calligraphy and forwards to Chinese contemporary ink, with artists such as Wang Duo, Pu Ru and Liu Dan.’
