On Wednesday, a picture was designated as the most reproduced fine art print in the world sold at auction in London for almost £1 million making a record for South African artist Vladimir Tretchikoff.

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According to the Bonhams auctioneers, “Chinese Girl” was bought by the chairman of Graff Diamonds International, Laurence Graff, for #982,050 (around 13.8 million rand, $1.5 million, 1.1 million euros).

Fact-fully, Bonhams head of communications and marketing Julian Roup said that it’s a new world record for Tretchikoff who is a Russian emigre who settled in South Africa.

Interestingly, Graff, a British jeweller, will put the iconic painting on public display with the rest of his collection of South African art at the Delaire Graff Estate at Stellenbosch outside Cape Town. While Roup said that the picture is going home to Cape Town, where Tretchikoff painted it which is rather wonderful.

“Chinese Girl” is a simple charcoal drawing on a brown canvas illuminated by an iridescent green-blue face, luscious black hair and bright golden tunic.

According to Bonhams, it is widely believed to be the most reproduced fine art print, noting Tretchikoff himself claimed to have sold half a million large-format reproductions by the end of his career.

As a concluding fact, Roup mentioned Wednesday’s sale price, which includes a buyer’s premium, signalled a new recognition for an artist who before his death in 2006 at the age of 92 was often regarded as “kitsch”.

That's perhaps the world's most popular print!

(AW:Samrat Biswas)