Bidding for Chinese painting to start at US$15.8 mln  

北宋巨幅作品“耆英會”將現(xiàn)身拍場 底價不低于1億

一幅北宋巨幅《文潞公耆英會圖》5日現(xiàn)身此間。河南省博物院曾于上世紀末對該作品進行征集，但因價格過高而作罷。此次再度現(xiàn)身被預(yù)測不會低于一億元人民幣。

Beijing (CNS) -- A Chinese painting from the Northern Song Dynasty called "Society of Venerable Persons Sponsored by Wenlu" appeared at a meeting in Beijing on Tuesday.

The starting bid for the work will be no less than 100 million yuan (US$15.8 million), predicted Liu Jianye, general manager of the newly-founded Longrong International Auction Company.

The masterpiece tells the story of a senior official who organized a party for 13 people where they dined, drank wine and wrote poetry.

The 2-meter-long, 0.96-meter-wide scroll was certified as a genuine painting from the Northern Song Dynasty by the Palace Museum in 1998.