Chinese oil painting fetches record price in HK auction

HONG KONG, Nov 26 (Reuters) A rare piece by renowned Chinese artist Xu Beihong has smashed the record for a Chinese oil painting, selling for 53.9 million HK dollar at a Christie's auction in Hong Kong today.

The work ''Slave and Lion'', far exceeded the pre-auction estimate of 32 million HK dollar, underscoring the sustained feverish demand from buyers for top quality works by Chinese artists.

The price exceeded the previous mark by Taiwanese artist Chen Chengbo's oil on canvas ''Danshui'' which fetched 34.8 million HK dollar at a Sotheby's auction only last month.

Xu Beihong's ''Slave and Lion'' dates from the artist's stay in Berlin in the early 1920's and depicts the story of the Roman slave Androclus who pulled a thorn from a lion's paw.

A dark work rendered in Xu's realistic technique, it carries a distinct Western form and subject, though with distinctive Chinese line drawing touches.

The seller was an unnamed Singapore collector and the buyer anonymous.

Competition was keen for some of the other notable works on offer at the 20th Century Chinese Art Sale. These included ''Potted Chrysanthemum in a Blue and White Jardiniere'' by Sanyu, which almost quadrupled its pre-auction estimate to go for 29.2 million HK dollar after spirited, snappy bidding.

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