African auction house Strauss & Co made history on Tuesday night as Lady from the Orient (1955), a mesmerising portrait by Russian-born South African artist Vladimir Tretchikoff, sold for a staggering R31 892 000 (US$1 776 017 / £1 314 891), setting a new world record for the artist.
A bidding war saw 89 bids exchanged before the iconic painting was secured by an anonymous telephone buyer, triumphing over a determined bidder in the room. The final price, inclusive of commission and taxes, far surpassed the previous record for a Tretchikoff work – Chinese Girl (1952), which fetched £982 050 at a London auction in 2013.
Auctioneer Alastair Meredith set the scene with palpable anticipation. “It’s always good when there’s a murmur before a big lot,” he remarked as he introduced Lady from the Orient.
Bidding opened quickly, swiftly climbing past R18 million (US$1 million). “The next bid is R25.2 million – something I’ve never said before,” Meredith quipped as the tension mounted. After nine more exhilarating bids, the gavel fell to resounding applause.
The painting immortalises Valerie Howe, the 21-year-old daughter of a Cape Town grocer, in Tretchikoff’s signature hyper-saturated palette. Draped in an emerald-green silk gown, her portrait blends Pre-Raphaelite elegance with Golden Age Hollywood allure – a hallmark of the artist’s most celebrated works. Created during his prolific post-war period in South Africa, Lady from the Orient became a cultural phenomenon in 1960s Britain, with prints adorning countless homes.
Beyond Tretchikoff’s triumph, the auction underscored demand for South African modern and contemporary masters, with William Kentridge, George Pemba, JH Pierneef, Gerard Sekoto and Anton van Wouw all achieving strong results. The 100-lot sale amassed an impressive R62.9 million, cementing Strauss & Co’s reputation as a powerhouse in the global art market.
