VietNamNet Bridge – The son of a famous Vietnamese painter, Bui Xuan Phai, will initiate a lawsuit against Sotheby’s for selling 4 paintings that he believes are replicates of his father’s work.

On October 06, Sotheby’s sold two paintings of Cheo actors for USD 20.921 and USD 19.311. Bui Thanh Phuong, also a painter himself, said that he sent goodwill messages to Sotheby’s during the auction of such paintings. However, he has received no replies from the giant auction house.

One of the two paintings Sotheby’s sold on October 6. (File Photo)

The paintings belonged to an overseas Vietnamese named Phillip Ng., according to Bui Thanh Phuong.

The painter said he has invited an American attorney, Henry Gallagher, to follow-up on this lawsuit. However, there has not been any information on whether the attorney has accepted to take the case or not.

Henry, who has a representative office in Hanoi, will be in Vietnam in November, according to sources. The American attorney will be able to accept the invitation to follow the lawsuit if the son of Bui Xuan Phai provides sufficient evidence on the non-transparency of the auction house, Sotheby’s, in selling the paintings, sources said.

Bui Xuan Phai (1920 - 1988) was one of the most remarkable, most charming and most unusual figures of Vietnamese modern art. He is famous for the paintings of Hanoi old quaters.

(Source: Dat Viet)