$40 mln collection of ancient Chinese art heading to Sotheby's
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A spectacular auction of a range of items that represent crucial times in China's history will be held at the premier destination for auctions.
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The rare archaic bronze rectangular vessel, known as fangyi, from the late Song dynasty (Courtesy of Sotheby's)
A thousand treasures accumulated by Wou Kiuan, a dedicated lover of Chinese art, will be offered across a series of global sales as of March 22 at Sotheby’s.
The collection represents more than 4,000 years of Chinese art, with categories including porcelain, bronzes, jades, and Chinese paintings. The collection will earn over $40 million.
The New York auction will feature 130 works from Wou's collection, and other objects will be offered in Hong Kong and London throughout the year in dedicated auctions.
“We’re thrilled to kick off the return of our March Asia Week sales with the single-owner auction of the renowned Wou Kiuan Collection,” Angela McAteer, head of Sotheby’s Chinese Works of Art Department in New York, said in a release, adding, “From utilitarian storage vessels to Imperial treasures, each work of art is a story of Chinese history to be discovered.”
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Carved Cinnabar Lacquer ‘Hibiscus’ Dish (Courtesy of Sotheby's)
Who is Wou?
Coming from a prominent Chinese family, Wou moved to the UK after he retired and began collecting stamps and books before shifting his interest into Chinese art.
According to Sotheby's, he made the most comprehensive and significant Chinese art collection.
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
