Portrait of Ms Jenny, a 1939 oil painting by
Xu Beihong, one of the most famous modern Chinese artists, was sold
for 22 million yuan (US$2.7 million) to an unnamed buyer on
November 6 at the autumn auction of Poly International Auction Co.
Ltd. The price broke records for both Xu Beihong's paintings and
Chinese oil paintings in general.
According to Poly International Auction Co. Ltd,
the starting price was 9 million yuan (US$1.1 million), and only
two bidders remained once the price reached 15 million yuan (US$1.9
million).
The previous record for a Xu Beihong painting was
set by Jiuzhou Wushi Le Gengyun (Happily Farming in a
Peaceful World), which was sold for 17.05 million yuan (US$2.1
million) on December 19 last year.
The highest recorded price for a Chinese oil
painting before now was set this May in Hong Kong. The
10-meter-long and 2.8-meter-wide triptych Juin-Octobre 1985
by Paris-based Chinese artist Zao Wou-ki went for HK$18.04 million
(US$2.31 million) at a Christie's auction.
When Xu Beihong was paid to paint Portrait of Ms
Jenny, measuring 1.36 by 0.98 meters, in Singapore, he donated
the money to help in the War of
Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
The painting was appraised as authentic by Liao
Jingwen, curator of Xu Beihong Museum, and other experts on
September 15.
(China.org.cn by Chen Lin, November 10, 2005)