Les Chadoufs, a painting from 1934 by the Egyptian artist Mahmoud Said, sold at auction in Dubai last night for US$2 million (Dh7.4m). It had been estimated to fetch between $150,000 and $200,000. The painting depicts a veiled woman carrying water and two men and a white, long-eared donkey drawing water from a well. It was formerly owned by Dr Mohammed Said Farsi, a Saudi art lover and former mayor of Jeddah.
It is the most expensive work of art by an Arab artist ever to be auctioned by Christie's Dubai, which conducted the sale.
Mr Farsi had consigned 25 pieces of his collection of modern Egyptian art, which were sold for a combined $8.7m.
hkhalaf@thenational.ae
