MOSCOW, November 17. /TASS/. Marc Chagall’s Bell Tower in Chambon-sur-Lac painting (1926) was sold for 10 million rubles ($157,000) at an auction in Moscow, the Litfond auction house’s press service said on Sunday.

"The auction saw this masterpiece whose authenticity had been confirmed by the Comite Chagall going for 10 million rubles," the statement reads.

Initially, the painting was priced at 1 ruble ($0.016) with pre-bets accepted before the auction itself.

Jonathan Wilson writes in his book entitled Marc Chagall that the painting was created when the renowned artist was working on illustrations for La Fontaine's Fables. At that time, the artist stopped over in Auvergne for a few months near Chambon Lake. His room was facing a picturesque church that is often seen in Chagall’s masterpieces from that time. The first owner of the Bell Tower in Chambon-sur-Lac was Jean Negulesco, an artist, Hollywood screenwriter, film director and art collector.