Hanoi (VNA) - From astarting bid of 120,000 USD, the lacquer painting titled Thac Bo (BoWaterfall) by Nguyen Huyen (1915-94) was sold for 280,000 USD at a recent auction inHanoi.
It sets the record for the highest price paid for art atan auction in the country, according to Chon’s Auction House.
Experts acknowledged that Thac Bo was a masterpieceof Vietnamese lacquer art with an intrinsic investment value that containedhidden symbols related to ancient national history and was a reflection of theimpact of fine arts development in the country.
“In my opinion, the economic value of the painting will onlyincrease with time,” said art expert Tran Quoc Hung.
“The painting contains typical features of a lacquer artwork:flatness, shine, clarity and depth. Huyen created it at the age of 42 when hewas mature and experienced in art thinking. Though the painting is primarilyabout landscape, it still reflects Vietnamese culture through symbols such asdragon boat, statue of Mother Nature, golden river with patterns inspired by PhungNguyen culture (2,000-1,500 BC) and bamboo forest,” Hung said.
Huyen’s son, Nguyen Gia Luong, inherited the painting whichhe had sold to a collector in Hanoi. Businessman Nguyen Phan Huy Khoi boughtthe painting at the auction.-VNA