1699 Ming royal descendant's paintings sell for Rs 75 crore in 2026
Bada Shanren, originally named Zhu Da, was born into the Ming royal lineage in 1626. Following the Ming dynasty's collapse in 1644, he sought solace in a Buddhist monastery for many years. Later, he embraced secular life as a renowned painter, crafting works that emphasize bold simplicity. His masterpiece, 'Flowers and Birds,' comprised twelve ink-on-paper leaves and recently fetched HK$61.9…
Bada Shanren, a descendant of the Ming royal family, found inspiration in the simple relationship between birds and flowers. In 1699, at the age of 73, he painted the album Flowers and Birds. The album, consisting of twelve ink-on-paper leaves, sold for Rs 75 crore at a Christie's auction in Hong Kong in 2026. Born in 1626 in Nanchang, China, Bada Shanren abandoned his royal background to become a Buddhist monk.
His distinctive artistic style is characterized by sparse compositions, where subjects emerge from a few deliberate brushstrokes, with the surrounding emptiness playing a significant role. One of the most recognizable features of his bird paintings is the birds' unusual upward-turned eyes, giving them a human-like expression. The album originated from the Tingfanlou Collection, where it was admired by Qing-dynasty collector Pan Zhengwei.
It later went through the collections of Wang Kemin, Zhang Zhiqin, Zhang Daqian, Wang Fangyu, and Sum Wai before being acquired by its latest owner in 2020.
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