Press
A painting bought for 400 euros at a flea market turns out to be the work of a famous Chinese artist. Nobody expected the bargain price.
Zurich – An art lover in Switzerland made an unexpected discovery at the “Kanzlei-Flohmi” – a painting that turned out to be a valuable work of art. A decade ago he bought it for 400 francs (about 413 euros), as its actual value was unknown. He recently auctioned it off for a considerable sum. Here’s what you should do if you find a valuable item at a flea market.
Flea market find is the work of Chinese artist Lin Fengmian
The artwork found at the flea market is by the famous Chinese artist Lin Fengmian and is entitled “Tumult in Heaven”. It depicts the Monkey King Sun Wukon from the classic Chinese novel “Journey to the West”. Regi Preiswerk, head of the Asian Art department at Koller Auctions, which auctioned the painting, tells the story of the painting’s beginnings at 20 min: “He fell in love with the painting, that’s why he bought it back then.” Another painting that was bought online turned out to be a work by Raphael.
Lin Fengmian
Lin Fengmian was a Chinese painter and the first president of the China Academy of Fine Arts. He was a pioneer of modern Chinese painting and was known for combining Chinese and Western styles. His works quickly gained recognition in the Chinese cultural scene. However, a large part of his artwork was lost in the Sino-Japanese War.
A few years ago, the buyer of the painting noticed that another work by Lin Fengmian was being auctioned and had his own painting valued. The estimated value was already a surprise: the painting was worth 180,000 francs, or about 185,800 euros.
From 400 euros to 367,100 euros: auction price exceeds expectations
According to the Swiss portal, the collector was not personally present at the auction. The sales price significantly exceeded the estimated price. At a total of 375,000 francs, or almost 387,100 euros, the price had more than doubled. Nevertheless, the collector had mixed feelings about the sale. “He was sad that the painting had left his collection,” the auction house reported.
Although the painting was auctioned for 387,100 euros after being bought for 400 euros, much more expensive works of art were sold in the same auction week. A painting by Ferdinand Hodler was auctioned for a whopping 5.1 million francs. In a television show, a painting is auctioned for 100 times that price. (No)
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