Year-ender: Top 10 cultural events from 2022

10. Sanyu's Branches fetches high price

Branches by Sanyu (Chang Yu) was sold for HK$86.69 million (around $11.1 million) at a Sotheby's evening sale in Hong Kong on October 7, crowning the highest bid at the auction.

Created in March 1963, Branches is one of Sanyu's few works with a clear date and is a strong autobiographical masterpiece that shows the artist's inner world during the 1960s. It also features one of his largest and grandest flower paintings.

Sanyu was born in a well-off family in Sichuan province. He studied oil painting in France. Because his art was not widely recognized, Sanyu struggled financially. He died alone in his studio due to a gas leak. Sanyu's paintings, however, have become sought-after at auction in recent years.