Parviz Tanavoli’s one-meter high sculpture The Poet’s Head was the most expensive work sold during the sale of Iranian modern and classical art as it fetched 32 billion rials (over $760,000).

Only 52 out of 79 items were sold during the auction, and works by celebrated artists such as Mohammad Ehsai and Reza Mafi failed to find a buyer.

An untitled 97x70 centimeter mirror mosaic painting by Monir Farmanfarmaian fetched 30 billion rials (over $714,000) and became the second most expensive work sold at the auction.

It was followed by an untitled oil painting on canvas by Sohrab Sepehri that was sold for 22 billion rials (over $520,000).

Works by top Iranian artists, including Mahmud Farshchian, Behjat Sadr, Jazeh Tabatabai, Aidin Aghdashlu, Masud Arabshahi, Nasser Ovissi, Sadeq Tabrizi, Hossein Zenderudi and Kurosh Shishegaran, also went under the hammer at the sale.

A total of 114 items were sold during the 10th edition of the auction in January, which grossed over 344 billion rials (about $8.2 million).       

Source: Tehran Times