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Tibetan gilt and polychromed copper alloy figure of Usnisavijaya, est. $100,000-$150,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions

Important Tibetan gilt sculpture leads Heritage Asian art sale, March 22

Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Tibetan gilt and polychromed copper alloy figure of Usnisavijaya, est. $100,000-$150,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions
Tibetan gilt and polychromed copper alloy figure of Usnisavijaya, est. $100,000-$150,000. Courtesy Heritage Auctions

DALLAS — From a screen inlaid with porcelain plaques by a Chinese porcelain painting master to a Tibetan figure of a Buddhist goddess and a collection of vibrant Japanese woodblock prints, the offerings in Heritage Auctions‘ March 22 Fine & Decorative Asian Art Signature® Auction include special items spanning a variety of genres. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.

Leading the event is a Tibetan gilt and polychromed copper alloy figure of Usnisavijaya, estimated at $100,000-$150,000. Part of a private Southern California collection, the 18th-century figure of the Buddhist deity remains in near-perfect condition and is believed to have been made in Beijing, likely for important temples in the Chinese capital city.

“Usually this type of figure doesn’t have a wrathful face, but this one does,” said Clementine Chen, Heritage Auctions’ Senior Consignment Director of Asian Art. “Typically this figure shows compassion, so this one is rare. The fact that it is Chinese-made also makes it special.”

The figure is among the auction highlights that will be on view during Asia Week New York.

Untitled Hasui Kawase woodblock print, est. $1,000-$2,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions
Untitled Hasui Kawase woodblock print, est. $1,000-$2,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions

“We have put together a high-quality event featuring signature pieces from multiple categories, including works from some noteworthy private collections,” Chen says, “and we’re thrilled to be showcasing highlights from the auction during this special week dedicated to Asian Art.”

Before the live auction in Dallas on March 22, auction highlights can be previewed March 16-21 at Heritage’s New York gallery at 445 Park Ave.

Pair of large Chinese imperial lanterns, est. $50,000-$70,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions
Pair of large Chinese imperial lanterns, est. $50,000-$70,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions

Among other highlights on view in New York are a pair of large Chinese imperial lanterns, estimated at $50,000-$70,000, which hail from a private New York collection. They are crafted from delicately carved zitan, one of the most expensive wood types in Chinese works of art and usually reserved for imperial families and high-ranking officials.

Chinese six-panel screen with painted porcelain plaques by Cheng Men, est. $30,000-$50,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions
Chinese six-panel screen with plaques by Cheng Men, est. $30,000-$50,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions

Another exceptional piece in the auction is a Chinese six-panel screen inlaid with painted porcelain plaques by Cheng Men, estimated at $30,000-$50,000. The 19th-century piece, by one of the most important porcelain painters of the late Qing dynasty, comes from a private Seattle collection and is composed of six panels, each with five plaques, many of them signed by the artist.

“It’s unusual to see so many pieces by Cheng Men all together,” Chen said. “And other than one piece, which has been replaced by a plaque painted in a similar style by another famous artist, Ren Huanzhang, this is a complete set — 30 plaques in total, 29 by Cheng Men.”

Fan Zeng, ‘Beauty with Peach and Calligraphy,’ est. $8,000-$12,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions
Fan Zeng, ‘Beauty with Peach and Calligraphy,’ est. $8,000-$12,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions

The auction also features many wonderful works on paper, including Beauty with Peach and Calligraphy by Fan Zeng, one of China’s most important living painters. It is estimated at $8,000-$12,000. The two-panel work was a birthday gift from the artist to the consignor, and features a woman presenting shou tao, or peaches of immortality, on one panel, alongside a panel of calligraphy offering wishes of longevity in life.

Zhao Shao’ang, ‘Sunflowers,’ est. $6,000-$8,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions
Zhao Shao’ang, ‘Sunflowers,’ est. $6,000-$8,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions

Hailing from the same consignor’s collection is another ink and color on paper: Sunflowers by Chinese artist Zhao Shao’ang, one of the leading artists of the Lingnan School of painting. Its estimate is $6,000-$8,000.

Paul Jacoulet, ‘La Gerbe d’Anthurium,’ est. $2,000-$3,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions
Paul Jacoulet, ‘La Gerbe d’Anthurium,’ est. $2,000-$3,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions

The event also offers a collection of beautiful Japanese woodblock prints by artists Yoshida Hiroshi, Hasui Kawase and Paul Jacoulet, which reflect various estimates between $700-$3,000.

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