Result auction Christie's «The Art of Impressionism and Modernism" and "The Art of Surrealism" amounted to 76.83 million pounds. Cloth Natalia Goncharova "Spanish Flu" set a new world record price for painting "Amazon va

yesterday afternoon in London ended in auction Christie's «The Art of Impressionism and Modernism" and "The Art of Surrealism» , the result of which amounted to 76.83 million pounds. Sold 69 lots out of 85 (81 percent), while statistics in monetary terms amounted to 93 per cent. Estimate of trades, ranging from 54.5 to 77.8 million pounds.

Giovanna Bertrazoni, Director of Trading and Head of Department London "Art of Impressionism and Modernism» Christie's, said: "Bidding gave strong signal for the art market as a whole, showing that demand is high and buyers from all over the world are ready to purchase works of art. Growing confidence principals means that today we were able to meet all the needs of collectors, offering to tender for meaningful work than in previous months. The ongoing "war of rates" was conducted in eight of the ten top lots sold in excess of its preliminary estimate:. During the evening went 21 Lot in excess of the amount of £ 1 million (each), whereas last year at two London auction in London broke the 26 million-bar lots. Thus, we look confidently to the future and look forward to the auction "The Art of Impressionism and Modernism" in May in New York ».

highest result showed a sheet" Head of a Woman ( Jacqueline) "1963 Brush Pablo Picasso, which went under the hammer for 8.1 million pounds, while the preliminary estimate was 3.4 million. The portrait shows the artist's second wife, who later became the primary model and muse of Picasso. Picture went to an unknown buyer to bid by telephone.

• Pablo Picasso Head of a Woman (Jacqueline)
  1963. Oil on canvas. 90,2 x 58,4
  Christie's. 02/02/2010. Lot number 29
  Estimate: 3-4 million pounds
  Result: 8 105 250 pounds

During the evening 4 works were sold for 5 million pounds (each), while 21 took a sheet in excess of the amount of 1 million (each). At the auction was attended by 25 percent of buyers from the UK, 48 per cent - from Europe, 25 per cent - from the U.S. and 2 per cent - from Asia.

Cloth "Gypsy" created around 1910-1911 Kesom Van Dongen (1877-1968), - a vivid example of portrait painting by the Dutch artist, made in one of the most important periods of his creativity. The picture sold for 7.1 million pounds, ie, almost on the upper estimate (5,5-7,5 million pounds). This is the second largest price paid for the work of the artist at auction.

painting "Spanish Flu" brush Natalia Goncharova (1881-1962), made around 1916, went under the hammer for 6.4 million pounds, above the upper bound estimate (4.6 million). This result is cramped luxury "Flowers" (sold at Christie's for 5.52 million pounds 19 months ago) from two pedestals and led the price ratings of paintings by Natalia Goncharova, as well as paintings of women artists in general.

• Natalia Goncharova Spanish Flu
  Around 1916. Oil on canvas. 130,3 x 81,3
  Christie's. 02/02/2010. Lot number 39
  Estimate: 4-6 million pounds
  Result: 6 425 250 lbs

Kubofuturisticheskie works created Goncharova from 1910, considered the most rare and in demand in the international environment collectors. "Spanish Flu", written during the First World War, belongs to a series of works the artist is a kind of "border" between the stage scenery and easel painting. For this painting are characteristic features that distinguish outstanding avant-garde paintings of the artist and her work for the famous "Russian Seasons" by Sergei Diaghilev.

«Spanish Flu" was offered for auction for the first time since its inception, at Auction now exhibited Swedish collector, acquired it in early 1980.

for 6.09 million pounds (at Estimé 3,5-5,5 million pounds) sold works by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) "A man sitting on a chair," created in 1956 - an impressive portrait, painted during the artist's solitary stay in a villa "California" in Cannes, which Picasso preferred bustling Paris.

Cloth by Henri Matisse (1869-1954) "Nude with crossed legs", written in 1936, was first proposed at the auction from a private Swiss collection, where it was stored since 1963. In the end it went to tender for the amount of 3.79 million pounds, almost to the upper bound estimate (2,5-4 million pounds).

Work Mademoiselle Grimprel with a red ribbon in her hair ", written by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) in 1880 and relating to the period of peak portrait of skill of the artist, has found its new owner for 3.07 million pounds (estimate 1,8-3,5 million pounds).

In 2001, during the February auction Christie's holds a special section devoted to the art of surrealism. The result of the evening auction "Art of Surrealism", held on February 2 after the auction impressionism, reached 10.13 million pounds (the amount included in the total sales). The most expensive lot was a sheet Rene Magritte (1898-1967) "The Kiss" in 1957, representing one of the favorite subjects of the artist - silhouette of a bird soaring into the night sky. It went under the hammer for the amount of 1.22 million pounds, exceeding the preliminary estimate of 600-800 thousand pounds.

Top 10 lots of "The Art of Impressionism and Modernism»
and "The Art of Surrealism»

№ lot	Description	Estimate, million pounds	Buyer
29	Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) « head woman (Jacqueline) "(1963)	3,0-4,0	8,11	private buyer from the UK
34	Kees Van Dongen (1877-1968) « Gypsy »(c. 1910-1911)	5,5-7,5	7,10	private buyer U.S.
39	Natalia Goncharova (1881-1962) « Spanish Flu » (circa 1916) WORLD RECORD FOR WORK artist	4,0-6,0	6,43	private buyer from Europe
43	Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) « man sitting on a chair » (1956)	3,5-5,5	6,09	private buyer from Europe
31	Henri Matisse (1869-1954)« Nude with crossed legs »(1936)	2,5-4,0	3,79	International Art Dealer
5	Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) « Mademoiselle Grimprel with a red ribbon in her hair »(1880)	1,8-2,5	3,07	private buyer from the USA
25	Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938) " Two naked, bathed in a bowl »(c. 1912-1913/20, Front);« Court, towing against the yellow house. Dresden »(circa 1909, the reverse side)	1,4-1,8	2,90	Private buyer from Europe
27	Otto Mueller (1874-1930)« Bathers »(ok.1927) WORLD RECORD FOR THE WORK OF ARTIST	0,5-0,7	2,08	private buyer from Europe
33	Kees Van Dongen (1877-1968) « Purple boats » (1921)	1,5-2,0	2,06	private buyer from Europe
7	Odilon Redon (1840-1916) « Vase with a samurai »(1905-1908)	1,8-3,0	2,00	anonymous buyer

Source: press release Christie's