Giant painting of Indian mosque to be sold in NY

[October 27, 2011]  NEW YORK (AP) -- A giant painting by a Russian artist will be auctioned in New York City to benefit a Boston museum.

The "Pearl Mosque at Delhi" painting is about 13 feet high and 16 feet wide. It was painted between 1876 and 1879. It shows men kneeling at a mosque.

It's being offered by the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston on Nov. 1 at a Sotheby's auction of Russian art. It has a presale estimate of $3 million to $5 million.

The auction house says the proceeds will benefit the museum's acquisition fund.

The artist was Vasili Vasilievich Vereshchagin (vah-SIHL'-ee vah-SIHL'-ih-vihch ver-uh-SHAH'-gihn). "Pearl Mosque at Delhi" is from his Indian series. It's considered one of his most significant works to appear at auction in more than 100 years.

It went on view at Sotheby's galleries on Wednesday.

[Associated Press]

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