Australian aboriginal artwork owned by singer Elton John sold at Sydney audition

SYDNEY, June 7 (Xinhua) -- An indigenous Australian artwork formerly owned by singer Sir Elton John for two decades, has sold at auction for 414,000 Australian dollars (312,110 U.S. dollars) in Sydney.

The contemporary work, titled My Country 1993 by Emily Kngwarreye, depicts her "typical subject matter," aboriginal art director of the Bonhams Auction House Francesca Cavazzini said on Wednesday.

"She would paint her traditional homeland at different times of the year during different seasons. This particular example is very striking because of its large size and because it was exhibited at many important international galleries."

At 3.7 meters wide, the colorful orange and red design was sold to an anonymous, private collector on Turesday night.

Although not much is known about the buyer, Cavazzini said the collector was a local and the painting would stay in its Aussie homeland, which its creator loved so much.

"Emily is regarded as Australia's most famous female artist. She is renowned both at home and internationally," Cavazzini said.

Kngwarreye died in 1996 at the age of 85.