Xu Painting Sells for $9.2m

Bloomberg reports that Xu Beihong's 1939 painting "Put Down Your Whip" fetched $9.2 million at a Sotheby's art sale in Hong Kong, breaking the Chinese artist's own auction record for an Asian picture. The picture is the highlight of 1,200 items Sotheby's is offering at its four-day art auction that ends April 10. Almost 500 people were in the auction room for the Xu sale yesterday. Xu, born in China's eastern Jiangsu province in 1895, is best-known for his ink depictions of galloping horses. He painted "Put Down Your Whip" in Singapore, halfway through Japan's 14-year invasion and occupation of China. The canvas hasn't been seen in public since 1954, a year after Xu died in Beijing. An anonymous buyer placed the winning bid by phone. (For full source and article click the Headline). Irish Art