Year 1995 Media Oil paint | Type Oil painting Created 1995 | |
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Dimensions 150 cm × 300 cm (59.1 in × 118.1 in) Similar Goddess of Democracy, Massacre in Korea, The Third of May 1808, A‑maze‑ing Laughter, Liberty Leading the People | ||
Adrian ghenie painting a dictator in the moment before his execution
Execution is a Chinese art painting by Beijing artist Yue Minjun. The piece was inspired by the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, although the artist stated through translation that the art should not be viewed as depicting what happened at Tiananmen Square. In 2007 it became the most expensive work sold by a Chinese contemporary artist.
Contents
The execution of emperor maximilian manet
History
Yue Minjun painted the oil painting in 1995 in a month. He sold the painting to Hong Kong art dealer Manfred Schoeni for $5,000.
Trevor Simon, investment banker, stumbled across the painting in 1996 in the back of a Hong Kong gallery. He convinced Schoeni to sell the piece for HK $250,000 / US $32,200. The painting was then shipped from Hong Kong to London, where Simon stored it in a warehouse. Under the terms, the painting was to remain out of sight for 5 years in a warehouse.
As of 2007, Execution would become the most expensive work of Chinese contemporary art sold for British pound £2.9 million / US $5.9 million / Euro €4.2 million at London's Sotheby's. The art piece has been billed by Sotheby's as "Among the most historically important paintings of the Chinese avant-garde ever to appear at auction." Simon has called Yue a brave man for painting something as politically dangerous as this.
Artist's comments
The artist, Yue, disagrees with the notion that his paintings are a veiled criticism of his government or of Chinese society, and he does not believe his work will bring him trouble.
Comparison
The painting has been compared to The Third of May 1808 and The Execution of the Emperor Maximilien of Mexico.