Christie's saw outstanding results in its Fine Chinese Paintings auction in New York yesterday (September 18), with a magnificent scroll painting from Shen Zhou selling as top lot.
 Shen Zhou was one of the leading artists of China's highly respected Wu School |
The painting, entitled Mountains in Autumn, dates to 1481 and is inscribed by the artist - an extremely rare addition. It sold for $1.8m, achieving a superb 446.5% increase on its $330,000 estimate.
The inscription on the piece reads:
"It has been two decades since I first painted this. 22 years have passed like a day. I do not recall for whom I painted this [picture]. My hair and teeth have fallen out; I no longer look young and happy like before. Everything is in decline. Someone bought back this painting on the market. As it cannot be sold for 700 wen, I returned it to him, with lamentations on how things wax and wane, and that life is so short."
The Fine Chinese Paintings sale was one of three auctions held by Christie's on September 18 as part of Asia Week.
 Parvati is another form of Shakti, the wife of Shiva |
The Indian and Southeast Asian Art auction was topped by a large and important bronze figure of Parvati, a Hindu deity. Dating from south India's Chola period (circa 1100), the piece sold for $963,750, comfortably meeting its $800,000-1.2m estimate.
However, the most dramatic results of the sale were seen by a 14th century Tibetan painting of Buddha decorated with scenes from his life, which also sold for $963,750 - a 192% increase on estimate.
 The jar saw one of the most dramatic increases on estimate of Asia Week so far, a testament to the event's ability to attract the world's top collectors |
Christie's Japanese and Korean Art sale saw one of the largest increases on estimate of Asia Week so far, with a blue and white jar from Korea's Joseon dynasty (19th century) auctioning for $939,750 against a $40,000-60,000 valuation, to achieve a 1,506% gain.
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