Sohrab Sepehri’s untitled painting from his Tree Trunk series sold for 18 billion rials (about $550,000), setting a new auction record for an Iranian painting.

Another work by Sepehri, a 90×130 centimeter abstract painting, sold for 16 billion rials (over $485,000), fetching the second highest price at the auction.

Reza Derakhshani’s artwork “Hunting the Blue Sky” sold for 6 billion rials (over $180,000), three times the estimated price, making it the third highest selling lot at this year’s auction.

Other highlights of the sale included a calligraphy painting by Mohammad Ehsaii and a two-piece painting by Aidin Aghdashlu. A calligraphy painting by Nasrollah Afjeii and paintings by Kurosh Shishegaran, Parviz Kalantari, Farideh Lashaii, and Masud Arabshahi were also sold.

Tehran Auction Director Alireza Sami-Azar, who established the auction house in June 2012 to promote the economy of art in the country, said that the sale was beyond his expectations, which shows Iranians’ interest in art, and the creativity of the country’s artists.

Sohrab Sepehri – Untitled

Sohrab Sepehri – Untitled

Reza Derakhshani – Hunting the Blue Sky

Seyed Mohammad Ehsai – Love

Aydin Aghdashloo – from the Memories of Destruction series

Farideh Lashai – Untitled

Nasrollah Afjehei – Untitled

Koorosh Shishegaran – Portrait

Massoud Arabshahi – Untitled

Parviz Kalantari – Untitled

Complete catalogue of the auction: Tehran Auction 2014

Source: Payvand News of Iran | 2014 Tehran Auction grosses over $4 million