The 19th Christie’s Dubai Auction of Modern and Contemporary Art sold 27 works by Iranian artists, including six among the top 10.
From a total of 121 Arab, Iranian and Turkish artworks, 88 items were sold, including 34 paintings and calligraphies by Iranian artists, Honaronline reported.
The most expensive item, by celebrated Egyptian artist, Mahmoud Said, ‘The Black Woman at the Window’ went under the hammer for $665,000.
Celebrated Iranian poet and painter Sohrab Sepehri’s work (from the Tree Trunks series), fetched $425,000 the second highest bid, although its base price was in the range of $150,000 to $200,000.
‘Scream’n Demons’ by Iranian Farhad Moshiri, which was also the back cover of the auction’s catalogue, sold for $389,000.
The front cover of the catalogue featuring ‘Cactus’ by Asim Abu Shaqra from Palestine, was estimated at $200,000 to $250,000, but was surprisingly left unsold.
Calligraphy ‘Saad’ by prominent Iranian-French artist Hossein Zenderoudi, and another artwork by Moshiri sold for $365,000 and $245,000 ranking 4th and 5th respectively in the list of top 10.
Lebanese artist Ayman Baalbaki’s work ranked sixth, selling for $233,000. Masterpieces by two nonagenarian Iranian artists, Monir Farmanfarmayan’s ‘Mirror Ball’ and Iranian-American Manouchehr Yektaei’s ‘A Portrait of Robert Monroe’ went under the hammer for $209,000.
The successful sale of Iranian art at the auction was rounded off by Seyed Mohammad Ahsaei with his diptych calligraphy that sold for $185,000 and an unknown portrait by Bahman Mohasses, which went for $149,000.
Art by Iranians comprised one-third of the exhibited works, and the top sales of Persian art showed the high quality of the works. The auction took place at Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, the auction house said on its website.
A three-day exhibition of all the artworks preceded the auction.
