The 8 by 10in (20 x 25cm) plaque (to be auctioned by Bonhams on November 10 as part of this year’s Asian Art in London week) is painted in outline and wash style in shades of cobalt blue with four sages bowing to a fifth in a mountain landscape.
John Ayers, one of the four-man judging panel of museum curators and art journalists, described the quality of the decoration as ”…sensational, both highly individual and painterly”.
Sidney Moss’s unusual set of three 12th century Buddhist bodhisattvas was voted the best three-dimensional entry.
The three sculptures, each approximately 3ft 3in (1m) high, are thought to be part of a temple installation and were described by the Ashmolean’s Dr Oliver Impey, as having “amazing presence” and being “in astonishingly good condition”.
The winning objects were chosen from amongst 48 works of art submitted by the auction houses and dealers participating in Asian Art in London’s forthcoming Asia week that runs from November 6-14.
Asia week will be launched by a champagne reception sponsored by AXA Insurance at the Victoria and Albert Museum on November 7. Now in its sixth year, this Asian extravaganza has become a landmark event for major international dealers, collectors and curators that gather for a week of buying, selling and celebrating at the scores of dealers’ and museum exhibitions, auctions, lectures and receptions taking place both inside and outside of London.
AXA Asian art winners announced
THE winners of this year’s AXA Art Awards for Asian art were announced last week as Bonhams Bond Street and Mayfair dealer Sidney Moss. Bonhams clinched the prize for the best two-dimensional work with an early Chinese blue and white rectangular panel, from the Ming dynasty’s coveted Chenghua period (1465-87), from the du Boulay collection.
