Imperial Artist's Masterpiece Sells for Millions

Bada Shanren, an artist of imperial Ming dynasty lineage who became a Buddhist monk, created a remarkable 12-leaf album titled "Flowers and Birds." This collection, featuring ink-on-paper compositions of flora, fauna, and landscapes, showcases his distinctive minimalist style, where empty space is as crucial as deliberate brushstrokes. His work often conveys a sense of solitude and subtle resistance. The album, created around 1699 during his artistic maturity, recently achieved a significant sale at Christie's Hong Kong on October 27, 2026, fetching HK$61.9 million. This price far exceeded expectations, underscoring the enduring allure of his art. The album has a rich provenance, passing through several notable collectors, including Pan Zhengwei and Zhang Daqian. It was also exhibited at prominent institutions like the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and the Yale University Art Gallery in the early 1990s. Now, believed to be in another private collection, Bada Shanren's "Flowers and Birds" album continues its remarkable journey, captivating new admirers three centuries after its creation.