TEHRAN – “The Simorgh Hunting”, a mixed media on canvas by Reza Derakhshani, sold at the 16th Tehran Auction on Friday for 80 billion rials (about $250,000 based on Iran’s free-market exchange rate: $1 = 320,060 rials), a price that made it the most expensive artwork sold at the national sale.

The 198x625-centimeter painting done in 2016 is from Derakhshani’s series “Hunting”, which has been inspired by elements from Iranian miniature – Persian painting and stories from Persian literature.

The second most expensive work sold at the sale was a 158x110-centimeter oil painting on strong rough cloth by Mansur Qandriz. It sold for 62 billion rials (about $194,000).

The untitled artwork was followed by “Rabbits, Prelude to Alice in Wonderland”, a mixed media on canvas by Fraideh Lashai, and an untitled oil painting on canvas by Kurosh Shishegaran, which sold at 42 billion rials (over $131,000).

Due to their subjects, two works from the 120 items offered at the auction were excluded from the sale by the General Office for Dramatic Arts of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.  

The 16th edition of the Tehran Auction collected 781 billion rials (over $2.44 million) by selling 117 artworks at its second sales of the year held at the Parsian Hotel.

“Dolls”, an oil painting by Siamak Azmi depicting pictures of numerous characters from Hollywood animated movies, was the sole artwork that failed to find a buyer at the auction.

However, an unidentified dealer purchased it outside of the auction at a price of 4 billion rials (over $12,000).

The 15th edition of the Tehran Auction was held in January, collecting 1588.9 billion rials (over $5.9 million based on Iran’s free-market exchange rate: $1 = 265,660 rials at that time). All 80 artworks offered at this auction were sold.

“Seated Poet”, a bronze sculpture by Parviz Tanavoli, sold at the auction for 146 billion rials (about $550,000) setting a record for an artwork in national sales.

The 14th Tehran Auction took in 421.8 billion rials (about $1.6 million based on Iran’s free-market exchange rate: $1 = 246,000 rials).

The 13th Tehran Auction grossed about 880 billion rials (about $4 million based on Iran’s free-market exchange rate: $1 = 221,000 rials).

Photo: Auctioneer Hossein Pakdel takes a bid for the sale of “The Simorgh Hunting” by Reza Derakhshani during the 16th Tehran Auction at the Parsian Hotel in Tehran on July 1, 2022. The artwork was the top seller, fetching about $250,000. (Honaronline/Mohammad Namazi)

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