Vladimir Tretchikoff's Chinese Girl portrait up for auction

Vladimir Tretchikoff's original painting of the Chinese Girl, believed to be the world's most reproduced print, is to go on sale in London.

The Russian artist, who died in 2006, claimed that by the end of his career he had sold half a million large-format reproductions of the print worldwide.

The portrait of a young Chinese girl with distinctive green-hued skin and ruby lips will form part of Bonhams' South African art sale on 20 March.

Beth McLeod reports.