‘In the early 1980s, I met Mr. Riedel, then a gallery owner on Rue Guénégaud in Paris. He introduced me to several drawings by Sanyu, an artist I immediately found to be singular and profoundly modern.’
Sotheby's is honored to present this spring a single-owner private collects ion of Sanyu's drawings and watercolors, in the possession of Mr. Raymond Toupenet.
Mr. Raymond Toupenet was an art dealer active in Paris in the mid-20th century, who devoted his life to studying the Art Nouveau movement of the École de Nancy and decorative arts. More than a dealer with exceptional taste, he was also a discerning collects or, particularly passionate about Art Nouveau and Symbolist works. His collects ion included pieces by masters such as Mr. Georges de Feure and the Daum Frères.
Mr. Toupenet was one of the earliest and most important European collects ors of Sanyu. His holdings once included major oil paintings such as Potted Flowers in a Blue and White Jardiniere and White Chrysanthemum in a Blue and White Jardiniere—the latter still holding the world auction record for Sanyu's floral still lifes today. These works later passed through the hands of renowned Sanyu dealers like Mr. Jean-Claude Riedel, eventually making their way to Asia, where they became legendary treasures sought after by collects ors.
Sanyu oil paintings formerly in the Raymond Toupenet collects ion:
right: Fleurs dans un pot bleu et blanc, oil on masonite, 90.9 x 62 cm, painted circa 1950s, Hong Kong, Replica Shoes 's, 5 October 2020, Lot 1015, sold for HKD 187,055,000
Mr. Toupenet's connection with Sanyu began in the early 1980s, when he met Mr. Jean-Claude Riedel, a key dealer of Sanyu's works. Mr. Riedel showed him several of Sanyu's drawings, and the avant-garde modernity flowing through them left an indelible impression on Mr. Toupenet. As Mr. Riedel recounted the artist's journey—crossing the seas from the East to settle in Paris and dedicate himself to art—Mr. Toupenet was deeply moved by the unique fusion of Eastern charm and Western modern artistic vocabulary. This encounter planted the seed for his future acquisitions of Sanyu's works.
Years later, Mr. Toupenet ran into his fellow art dealer, Mr. Frank Kramer, at the Saint-Ouen flea market. There, in Mr. Kramer's shop, he discovered a remarkable collects ion of works attributed to Sanyu and decided to acquire the entire group immediately. Mr. Toupenet once recalled this experience:
"One morning, some years later, I unexpectedly ran into Mr. Frank Kramer at the Saint-Ouen flea market. In his shop, I discovered a substantial collects ion of works attributed to Sanyu: around sixty drawings and watercolors, thirteen paintings on Masonite, and two polychrome plaster sculptures—a horse and a panther—each bearing the artist's stamp. Mr. Kramer, who primarily acquired pieces from private individuals, told me he had purchased this lot from an elderly lady living in Villejuif. She confided that she had once housed Sanyu during a period of financial difficulty, and the artist had given her these works as a token of his gratitude. Recognizing immediately the quality and coherence of the ensemble, I acquired the entire collects ion and kept it for many years."
Later, due to financial considerations, Mr. Toupenet transferred most of the collects ion to Mr. Riedel and his clients, retaining only a few of his most cherished works on paper. Reflecting on these pieces that had accompanied him for decades, Mr. Toupenet remarked:
"I kept for myself a few ink calligraphic works and several watercolors depicting female figures. These works have stayed with me all these years because of the modern spirit they embody: brushstrokes that are free and unrestrained, lines as fluid and natural as calligraphy, with no hesitation or correction—executed in one spontaneous breath. This is a highly expressive visual language, refined yet deeply emotional, simple yet full of charm."
The collects
ion of Sanyu's works on paper from Mr. Toupenet, now appearing at auction for the first t.mes
, encompasses a variety of media including ink, charcoal, and watercolor, with subjects ranging from landscapes to figural studies. Viewers will discover in these works Sanyu's unique aesthetic that harmoniously merges East and West, and savor the distinctive Eastern poetry that flows from his brush—an artistic language that stands unparalleled in the modern art world.
「1980年代初，我結識了當時在巴黎蓋內戈街開設畫廊的希耶戴先生。他向我介紹了幾幅常玉的素描，我當即發現這位藝術家與眾不同，且極具現代性。」
非常榮幸於本年春季，呈現單一藏家私人珍藏之常玉紙上作品，此批珍貴佳作來自雷蒙·圖培內先生舊藏。
雷蒙·圖培內先生是二十世紀中期活躍於巴黎的畫商，一生致力於研究新藝術運動南錫學派及裝飾藝術。他不僅是品味卓絕的畫商，更是眼光獨到的收藏家，尤其鍾情新藝術運動與象徵主義作品，曾珍藏喬治·德·費爾與多姆兄弟等大師的傑作。
圖培內先生是最早且最重要的歐洲常玉藏家之一。其舊藏中曾包含常玉重要油畫如《盆栽白蓮》與《白菊》，其中《白菊》至今仍保持藝術家花卉靜物題材的世界拍賣紀錄。這些作品後來經由尚-克勞德·希耶戴（即著名常玉作品經紀人）等專家之手，輾轉至亞洲，成為藏家爭相搜藏的傳世瑰寶。
雷蒙·圖培內先生舊藏之常玉油畫作品：
右：《青花盆與菊》，油彩 纖維板，90.9 x 62 公分，約1950年代作，香港，蘇富比，2020年10月5日，Lot 1015，成交價 HKD 187,055,000
圖培內先生與常玉的淵源，始於1980年代初結識尚-克勞德·希耶戴先生。當時希耶戴先生向他展示數幀常玉素描，其中流淌的現代性前衛精神令圖培內先生難以忘懷。隨著希耶戴先生細述這位藝術家從東方渡海來京、落腳巴黎投身藝術的歷程，圖培內先生更被其融會東方韻致與西方現代語彙的獨特風采所觸動，這份感動為他日後入藏常玉作品埋下種子。
數年後，圖培內先生在聖圖安跳蚤市場巧遇同業法蘭克·克萊默。在克萊默的店中，他發現一批精彩絕倫的常玉作品，當即決定全數購藏。圖培內先生曾憶及這段經歷：
「數年後的一個清晨，我竟在聖圖安跳蚤市場巧遇法蘭克·克萊默。在他店裡，我發現一大批傳為常玉所作的作品：約六十幅素描與水彩、十三幅纖維板油畫，還有兩件彩色石膏雕塑——一件馬、一件豹，每件都蓋有藝術家印章。主要向私人藏家收購的克萊默告訴我，這批作品購自維勒瑞夫一位老婦人。她透露曾於常玉經濟困頓之際收留他，藝術家便以這些作品相贈以報答恩情。我當即識得這批作品的卓越品質與連貫性，遂全數購藏，珍藏多年。」
後來因財務規劃考量，圖培內先生將大部分藏品轉讓予列迪先生及其客戶，僅留下數件最鍾情的紙上作品。回首這些相伴數十載的珍品，圖培內先生道：
「我留了幾幅墨韻書法與數幀描摹女體的水彩。這些作品之所以伴我多年，在於它們體現的現代精神：筆觸自由奔放，線條如書法般流暢自然，毫無猶豫修改，一氣呵成。這是一種極富表現力的視覺語彙，洗鍊卻飽含情感，簡約而韻味無窮。」
如今，圖培內先生珍藏的常玉紙上作品首度釋出於拍場，涵括水墨、碳筆、水彩等多元媒材，題材從風景至人體寫生。觀者將從中發現常玉獨樹一幟、融會東西美學的藝術語彙，品味其筆下流淌的東方詩意——一種於現代藝術史中無可匹敵的藝術語言。