Hanoi (VNA) - "Meo von nhau" (Twocats), a 1979 lacquer painting by Vietnamese artist Nguyen Sang, has fetched 101,000USD at the 6th session of Chon’s Auction House in the capital city. 

It is the first time an artwork has been sold for over 100,000USD at a domestic auction event.

The 60x72cm painting belonged to art collector Pham Van Thong,who purchased it at Christie’s Asia. Its initial auction price was 41,000 USD,also a record for a domestic auction event.

Works by artist Nguyen Trong Kiem were also sold at highprices at the event, including Duong lang (12,000 USD), Maichua Huong (12,000 USD) and Pho mua (10,000 USD).

According to information on Chon’s Auction House’s officialFacebook page, the total value of paintings by artist Nguyen Sang beinginternationally traded witnessed an increase and their average price also wentup dramatically in 2016. They have received high evaluation from internationalcollectors and specialists, leading to a dramatic increase in the demand inrecent years.

Nguyen Sang (1923-1988) ranks among the four most influentialpainters in 20th century Vietnam, along with Bui Xuan Phai (1920-1988), DuongBich Lien (1924-1988) and Nguyen Tu Nghiem (1922-2016). Sang was mostsuccessful with lacquer paintings, presenting an ingenious manipulation of thecraft’s traditional methods to produce a modern twist on the ancient art form.

"Two cats" was abreakthrough in Sang’s career, considered the most influential among his laterworks. The painting conceals many layers of meaning while imbibing the spiritof the East. In the painting, the two cats, in the positionof tigers, stand against each other and form a closed circle. In contrast tothe smooth aesthetic effect that other ornamental lacquer painters strive toachieve with their work, Sang breaks the rules of what is expected from lacquerart, and instead presents a highly textured, expressive view of the artist’screative eye and imaginative world.-VNA