Bui Xuan Phai's paintings to go under hammer in Singapore

"Bien" (Sea), "Hai Dien Vien Cheo Cam Quat" (Two Cheo Actors With Fans), and "Pho Voi Nguoi Di Xe dap Va Xe Bo" (Street Scene With Cyclist And Bull-cart) are three oil on cardboard paintings set to go under the hammer on June 17.

"Pho Voi Nguoi Di Xe dap Va Xe Bo" (Street Scene With Cyclist And Bull-cart) by Bui Xuan Phai. Photo courtesy of Larasati.

They are respectively estimated at up to $13,500, $12,750, and $10,500.

Phai's work has been offered at auction multiple times, with realized prices ranging from $600 to $207,770. The record price for his paintings at auction is $207,770 for "Nha" (Houses), sold at Christie's Hong Kong earlier this year. `

Bui Xuan Phai (1921 - 1988) was a Vietnamese painter of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, who created a unique style called "Pho Phai" (Phai’s street). The artist was one of the last generations of Indochina Fine Arts College painters, along with Nguyen Sang, Nguyen Tu Nghiem, Duong Bich Lien, who had a great influence on the development of modern Vietnamese art.