Stephen Harper nude painting sold to Vancouver man for $20K

The controversial nude portrait of former prime minister Stephen Harper has been sold for $20,000to a Vancouver man who describes the piece as "biting political satire."

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Harper did not pose for the painting by artist MargaretSutherland,entitledEmperor Haute Couture,which shows himreclining on a chaise longue, with a dog at his feet, as he is offered a cup of TimHortonscoffee.

"I can't wait to get it out in front of as many people as possible," the new owner,Frederick Ghahramani, told Rita Celli on CBC Radio'sOntario Today.

"It's not about the nudity. It's a good way of capturing and I think the artist has done an excellent job of capturingthe mood of the last10 years, where you have basically had a whole group of people in Canada who felt silenced, whether they are government ministers down to scientists, down to public servants."

Listen to the full interview below.

The painting was first sold for $5,000 in May 2012 to public servantDanielle Potvin, who remained anonymous until she retired and decided to sell the painting earlier this month.

The Gatineau, Que., woman said she was warned by her human resources department that"it would be professional suicide to reveal myself as the owner" while she was still employed by the federal government.

Potvintold Radio-Canada shesold it for $20,000 more than doublethe$8,800 she was hoping for.

Ghahramani said he is pleased with the purchase.

"Everytime I look at it I burst out laughing,"Ghahramanisaid. "I do that with all biting political satire. I also understand that it doesn't come from a vulgar point of making fun of the prime minister. It comes from a very dark, depressing point."