A journey through centuries of artistic refinement, between different eras and styles, to discover the elegance of Asian art. The ‘Fine Asian Works of Art’ live auction, scheduled for Thursday 20 February 2025, offers an exclusive selection of Oriental artworks. The sale will be held at the Milan premises, Via San Marco 22, and will be preceded by an exhibition open to the public on Saturday 15, Monday 17, Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 February, from 10 am to 7 pm.

With more than 400 lots in the catalogue, the auction will present a wide variety of works, from precious jades and porcelain to sacred sculptures, paintings and drawings that bear witness to the long Asian artistic tradition.

Among the most eagerly awaited pieces is a rare painting by Xu Bei Hong (1895-1953), a celebrated master of modern Chinese painting. The work, an ink on paper depicting a hen with chicks and inscriptions (45x35 cm), has an extraordinary provenance: it was donated by Xu Bei Hong himself to Professor Antonio Morassi, the illustrious art critic and historian, as a tribute for his contribution to the first exhibition of Chinese painting in Italy, held in Milan between December 1933 and January 1934. This masterpiece has an estimate of between €45,000 and €55,000.

Another exceptionally important lot is represented by a pair of impressive Doucai porcelain cachepots, decorated with Ruyi and floral motifs, dating from the Qing Dynasty, Daoguang period (1821-1850). With a height of 50 cm, these fine examples are estimated at between EUR 50,000 and EUR 70,000. Also worthy of note are a pair of polychrome porcelain cachepots on a sky-blue ground with peach-branch decorations from the Qing Dynasty, Yazhai mark (1874-1876), estimated at between €40,000 and €60,000, and a Qianjiangcai porcelain plaque signed Cheng Men, dated 1877, with a delicate landscape subject. The latter is one of the most representative works of the artist's painting style, known for his mastery in integrating the tradition of literate painting into porcelain.

The auction will continue with a selection of sculptures and sacred objects, including an extraordinary stone-carved Bodhisattva head from Gandhara dating back to the 4th century. This fine example of Indo-Greek art has an estimate of between €12,500 and €14,500. Also on offer is a magnificent bronze Guanyin figure on a double lotus flower from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), estimated at between €8,000 and €12,000.

Among the most sought-after porcelains is a Famille Rose vase from the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1796), decorated with landscape scenes and zoomorphic handles, estimated at between EUR 10,000 and EUR 15,000. Also from the same period is a fine Rose Family porcelain garden bowl with four landscape scenes, estimated at EUR 10,000-12,000. Another fascinating piece is a Tianqiuping vase in Black Family porcelain with millefleures decoration, from the Qing Dynasty, Guangxu era (1875-1908), with apocryphal Qianlong mark, estimated at between €8,000 and €12,000.

Finally, antique art enthusiasts will be able to admire a rare blue and white porcelain vase with floral motifs and inscriptions on the back, dating from the Ming Dynasty, Wanli period (1600-1620), with an estimate of €5,000-7,000.