ARTinvestment.RU commented on a change of leader in the ranking of the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction bids

Fact: bronze sculpture "walking man I» (1961) work by Alberto Giacometti 3 February 2010 was sold at Sotheby's evening auction for 65 million pounds (104.3 million dollars), with multiple excess estimate 12-18 million pounds. Thus, this work became the most expensive piece of art ever sold at auction bids.

1. The previous record belonged to the cost Picasso's "Boy with a Pipe» , has brought in 2004 58 million pounds - 104,2 million dollars. That is, in dollar terms, a sculpture by Giacometti (104.3 million dollars) "only" 100 thousand dollars bypassed "Boy with a Pipe" by Picasso. In nominal pounds, for which sold two works, the victory of Giacometti's much more convincing: 65 million pounds to 58 million pounds for "Boy with a pipe».

2. Giacometti sculpture is not the most expensive work of art in the world. The fact that the 104.3 million dollars Giacometti - a record result is for auctions. That is absolutely reliable and publicly verifiable. Prior to that were more expensive private transactions. Thus, in the press to publish information that in the "Golden Adele" ( "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I», 1907) by Gustav Klimt collector Ronald S. Lauder in 2006 paid 135 million dollars, and until that information no one has refuted. And in the same year, the unofficial record fell when the Mexican financier David Martinez bought gigantic in size (122 x 243), American modernist work of Jackson Pollock «№ 5. 1948 "at the media tycoon David Geffen for $ 140 million.

3. Sold casting "walking man I» has the number 2 of 6. It is known that the sculpture is made circulation of 6 +4 artists proof. That is all over the world step 10 such persons.

4. It is known that the twins are going person in the following museums: Carnegie Institute Museum of Art (Pittsburgh), Albright-Knox Art Gallery (Buffalo), National Gallery of Art (Washington DC), Kröller-Müller Museum (Otterlo), Fondation Beyeler (Basel ), Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (Humlebaek, Denmark), Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago), Herbert F. Johnson Museum, Cornell University, Ithaca (New York) and Fondation Maeght (St. Paul-de-Vence).

5. Expert estimates of Western experts suggest that in the period 2005-2007 the price index of works by Giacometti grew by 195 per cent.

6. According to Western experts, based on analysis of auction results, $ 100, conditionally invested in Giacometti's work in 1998, to August 2009 became a 581 dollar.

7. After the London auction "The Impressionists and modernists" world price index for art ARTIMX, calculated by the method ARTinvestment.RU rose by 1.79 percent. And the index ARTIMX Impressionism & Modern Art grew up on a fantastic 8.49 percent. That is, this stirred up the whole sale market and, perhaps, was the signal for growth after the crisis.

8. Record "Boy with a Pipe" by Picasso kept since 2004. During this time, no other masterpiece could not approach him on the "distance" is closer than 17 million.

9. "Walking man I» - an icon of modernism, perhaps the most recognizable work of Alberto Giacometti. This is the same flagship thing as a "black box" to Malevich or a shark ( "The physical impossibility of death in the minds of living") to Damien Hirst.

10. "Walking man I» - a rare Giacometti sculpture, made in human growth. Her height - 183 cm According to the auction house, is the only work of this series, now in private hands, not in a museum.

Vladimir Bogdanov, AI