It's the end of the world as we know it, and Artmark feels like selling fine art. The Romanian auction house is putting a novel spin on the December 21 ancient Mayan calendar end of cycle date, which has the superstitious in a tizz over the end of the world, with a special Armageddon art auction. End of the world or not, the paintings won't come cheap, with some fine works by the most sought after Romanian artists going under the hammer.

Some 200 artworks will be on exhibition between December 3 and 18 at the Cesianu-Racovita Palace before the auction at the JW Marriot Hotel in Bucharest on December 19.

The star of the show is a Christ by Ion Theodorescu-Sion, titled Lux in Tenebris Lucet (light born of darkness) (in picture, above). It is expected to raise EUR 20,000 – EUR 40,000 at auction. Also on auction are a pleasant Odalisque by Ion Musceleanu and a wonderfully horrifying piece by Corneliu Baba called Spaime (fears) (in picture, below).

editor@romania-insider.com

Pictures courtesy of Artmark