Artwork by Fu Baoshi. Provided by Zheng Benquan

Artwork by Fu Baoshi.  Provided by Poly Auction House

As Jinghua News reported, the artwork titled Rafting by the Chinese distinguished artist Fu Baoshi was switched after being sent to Poly Auction House on July 22nd. The consigner released the information on Baidu Post Bar and hoped to get public attention. While Poly appointed that the case was purely false accusation. Yin Huajie, manager of the Department of Painting and Calligraphy of Poly, vowed that they would settle the matter through legal ways.

Zheng Benquan who owns the artwork insists that Yin Huajie firstly agreed to auction the artwork without doubting the authentication of the artwork, but afterwards Yin was regret after Fu Baoshi’s son questioning the authenticity of the artwork. He also defended that the artwork was not stored in the auction house but at Yin’s home.

“When I see this painting again, the paper is thin and the ink marks are pretty quiet,” Zheng recalled. He was sure the painting was switched. “It was acquired in 1948 on an exhibition held in Nanchang."

Facing the hot debated discussion online, Yin Huajie came forwards for the first time to clarify that the case was purely false accusation, “Zheng did this out of two reasons, firstly, he is not reconciled to the fake artwork, secondly, he is to show his discontent in regarding to the failure of the artwork to be auctioned”.

Yin also did further announcement, "I did not promise to auction the work, and the artwork is stored all the time in the auction house not in my home". He hopes to resolve the matter through legal channels.

According to the lawyer Lei Gang, clients can sue the auction house to deliver the real artwork, meanwhile, the auction house can also prosecute  the client for abuse reputation. Which party in the end will win? The contract materials and custody ways are supporting materials.

In addition, Lei stressed that it requires professionals to identify whether the artwork now stored in the auction house is the one sent to the auction.