Auction sees record prices for two artists

Oil painter Zhou Chunya's China Scenery was sold 44.27 million yuan ($6.71 million) and Liu Wei's Self Portrait went for 24.15 million yuan at a Beijing auction on Tuesday, setting record prices for both the two artists.

Zhou's work is from his series of mountains and stones done in 1993. It is regarded as a landmark in his career, marking the beginning of his reflections on Chinese culture.

Known for his avant-garde style, Liu's works often feature sarcasm about social issues.

Liu's large-scale self-portrait is rare as the artist seldom depicts himself in his works.

The works were sold at China Guardian Auctions' contemporary art sale in Beijing, which fetched about 450 million yuan, a huge increase compared with the spring auction.