Poly International Auction 2017: Masterpieces by Chinese artist set new record at autumn auction

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Poly's autumn auction has seen no shortage of highlights this year. So far, the total sales have reached a whopping 650 million US dollars. And, the price of five Chinese art pieces reached more than 100 million yuan, breaking a historical record. Let's find out more about them.

The first masterpiece to mention is, of course, the "Twelve Screens of Landscape". It was sold for 144 million US dollars, setting a new RECORD for any piece of Chinese artwork sold at auction worldwide. The works were produced by the renowned Chinese artist Qi Baishi.

ZHAO XU, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POLY INTERNATIONAL AUCTION CO. , LTD "Many of the artworks are really precious, including the masterpieces-'Twelve Screens of Landscape' by Qi Baishi. The paintings are not only the most important artworks of the master, but also one of the most extraordinary items at this year's auction."

Qi Baishi, who lived from 1864 to 1957, was a Chinese painting master who specialized in flowers, plants and landscapes. The artist created the masterworks in 1925. The organizer said the paintings are regarded as the artist's greatest achievement.

The album includes 12 separate paintings. Each is framed in a vertical shaft of 1.8-meters long. An elegant palette is used to depict lively natural scenes. It is said Qi was inspired by the real, natural brilliance he encountered through his extensive travels across the country.

Another highlight is Li Keran's artpiece Sacred Shaoshan Mountain which was painted in 1974. It was sold for 178 million yuan or 27 million US dollars. It depicts the former residence of late chairman Mao Zedong at the foot of Shaoshan Mountain in Hunan province, where he spent his childhood and teenage years. This year also marks Li's 110th anniversary of birth.

Other top lots in the sale included Twelve Screens of Finger Ink Landscape by ink painter Cui Ruzhuo, Flowers in Twelve Scrolls, by artist Wu Changshuo as well as the Heart Sutra, a popular Buddhist scripture, written by Zhao Mengfu. The auction house remains in first place among domestic large-scale art vendors, and boasts the top transaction volume of any in China.