Four-decade old painting of an Arab man sold for $1.38m

Four-decade old painting of an Arab man sold for $1.38m
The painting dates back to 1939. (Oman embassy in South Africa/Twitter)
Updated 03 April 2019
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Four-decade old painting of an Arab man sold for $1.38m

Four-decade old painting of an Arab man sold for $1.38m
  • The artwork, titled “An Arab Man,” was painted in Zanzibar in 1985
  • It was painted by South African artist Irma Stern

DUBAI: A rare painting of an Omani man by South African artist Irma Stern was auctioned for $1.38 million dollars, the Omani embassy in South Africa announced.

In a tweet, the Oman embassy in Cape Town revealed the painting was sold in an auction after a “fierce bidding” on March 18, where the value of the painting reached up to African Rand 12,070,000. The painting was sold to an unnamed South African buyer.

The artwork, titled “An Arab Man,” was painted in Zanzibar in 1985 by Stern, who drew inspiration from her visit in the island in 1939 and 1945.

“The painting dates back to the reign of Sultan Khalifa bin Harib bin Thwaini Al-Said,” the embassy said.

Made with oil on canvass, the painting shows an Omani man dressed in traditional garments.