A photograph left by Man Ray, an American surrealist artist who was active in the early 20th century, is expected to set a record for the highest price ever.
On the 17th (local time), the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) investment media, Penta, raised the estimated price of Ray's 1924 work 'Le Violon Dangres', which was auctioned by Christie's in May, from 5 million to 7 million dollars (local time). It was reported that it was valued at about 6 to 8.4 billion Korean Won).
This is the highest price ever for a photographic work sold at auction.
The most expensive photograph ever sold was known as 'Line II' by German photographer Andrés Gursky, which sold for $4.33 million.
Ray was born in the United States and made a name for himself in art history with a variety of Dada and Surrealist works.
He was mainly active in Paris, France. Besides photography, he was active in various fields such as painting, installation works, and film.
The works submitted for auction were made by drawing the violin F hole on the picture of a nude female model and then taking the picture again.
This work is a homage to 'The Bathing Lady of Balpinson' left by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, a French classicist painter.
The title 'Le Violon Dangres' also means 'The Violin of Ingres'.
This work is regarded as a masterpiece of Surrealist photography.
Copies are on display at the Center Pompidou and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, USA.
The photos submitted for auction are the originals, which the artist Ray owned until 1962.
The original, owned by American collector Melvin J. Cubs following Ray, recently went up for auction following the death of his wife, J. Cubs.