HÀ NỘI — Mèo vờn nhau (Two cats), a 1979 lacquer painting by Vietnamese artist Nguyễn Sáng, has fetched US$101,000 at the 6th session of Chọn’s Auction House in the capital city. 

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

The 60x72cm painting belonged to art collector Phạm Văn Thông, who purchased it at Christie’s Asia. Its initial auction price was $41,000, also a record for a domestic auction event.

Works by artist Nguyễn Trọng Kiệm were also sold at high prices at the event, including Đường làng ($12,000), Mai chùa Hương ($12,000) and Phố mưa ($10,000).

According to information on Chọn’s Auction House’s official Facebook page, the total value of paintings by artist Nguyễn Sáng being internationally traded witnessed an increase and their average price also went up dramatically in 2016. They have received high evaluation from international collectors and specialists, leading to a dramatic increase in the demand in recent years.

Nguyễn Sáng (1923-1988) ranks among the four most influential painters in 20th century Việt Nam, along with Bùi Xuân Phái (1920-1988), Dương Bích Liên (1924-1988) and Nguyễn Tư Nghiêm (1922-2016). Sáng was most successful with lacquer paintings, presenting an ingenious manipulation of the craft’s traditional methods to produce a modern twist on the ancient art form.

Two Cats was a breakthrough in Sáng’s career, considered the most influential among his later works. The painting conceals many layers of meaning while imbibing the spirit of the East. In the painting, the two cats, in the position of tigers, stand against each other and form a closed circle. In contrast to the smooth aesthetic effect that other ornamental lacquer painters strive to achieve with their work, Sáng breaks the rules of what is expected from lacquer art, and instead presents a highly textured, expressive view of the artist’s creative eye and imaginative world. — VNS