‘THE EIGHT IMMORTALS’, BY FAN ZENG (BORN 1938), DATED 1995China. Ink and watercolors on cloth. Boldly painted with vigorous brushstrokes to depict the Eight Immortals (baxian), with Zhang Guolao smiling as he sits on his donkey, next to a standing Li Tieguai carrying his iron crutch with the double gourd at the top. Two further immortals are seated together, one playing with his beard, while another sleeps blissfully on a craggy rock, behind a female immortal looking into the distance, and two standing immortals examining a rock.Inscriptions: To the top, ‘Painting of the Baxian. According to legend, the Eight Immortals crossed the ocean. Later it was said that everybody used their talents or skills to achieve amon goal. In the Year of Yihai corresponding to 1995, in Shiguzhai in Jinling (Nanjing).’ Two seals of the artist: ‘Qingmao lüesi’ and ‘Wo jian qingshan duo wumei’.Provenance: From a private collection in Germany, by repute acquired directly from the artist in China, and thence by descent. According to the previous owner’s son, the present work was painted in front of him for his father, who lived in China at the time. The owner made this testimonial during a German television show, the video is accessible here: parison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 6 October 2019, lot 2775Price: HKD 7,375,000 or approx.EUR 941,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: Fan Zeng, Eight ImmortalsExpert remark: Note that this lotprises a set of four hanging scrolls painted on paper, the largest 143.2 x 95.1 cm范曾（1938- ）《八仙圖》，1995年中國，布面水墨設色。以中國八仙的傳說為主體人物而創作的，筆勢豪放雄健，張果老笑瞇瞇地騎在驢背，身旁站著李鐵拐，手執雙葫蘆鐵拐杖。身側兩位仙人，一個玩著他的鬍子，而另一個幸福地躺在一塊崎嶇的岩石上。人物構圖嚴謹，筆墨灑脫，痛快淋漓。款識：八仙圖，傳説□有八仙渡海，慶壽後□，多以八仙過海，喻各顯神通，盡其智慮以成大業，乙亥年師古齋並寫於金陵；鈴印：我見青山多嫵媚，情貌略似，陳□春印