Highlight of Christie’s auction is Suleiman Mansour’s Jamal Al Mahamel III (Camel of Burdens)

When Jamal Al Mahamel II (Camel of Burdens) by the Palestinian artist Suleiman Mansour was announced as the highlight of the Christie’s March auction in January, it was estimated to sell for between US$200,000 (Dh734,605) and $300,000. Depicting an elderly Palestinian man carrying the city of Jerusalem on his back, it was thought to be the second of three versions of the painting, all by Mansour.

Then a London-based collector saw the catalogue online and came forward to say he believed the original 1973 artwork, the first version, was in his possession. Verification by Christie’s proved that his claim was true and it also emerged that the one in the Christie’s sale was actually the third version (2005). The second version, created in 1975, was believed to have been destroyed in 1986.

The confusion cleared, Jamal Al Mahamel III features among the 158 lots at Christie’s twice-yearly auction in Dubai tonight, although its estimate has been dropped to $50-$60,000.

“Christie’s are very proud to have helped in the rediscovery of the earlier version and we are very proud to be offering the third version in our sale,” says Michael Jeha, the managing director of Christie’s Middle East.

The sale has been coordinated to coincide with Art Dubai, a sign of the increasing maturity of the art market in the Middle East, and follows the same model as the auctions in London and New York.

Original article by Anna Seaman

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Highlight of Christie’s auction is Suleiman Mansour’s Jamal Al Mahamel III (Camel of Burdens)