Top lots were works by Pablo Picasso and Rene Magritte. "Bather" by Renoir of 12-18 million pounds had been sold privately before the auction

Last night in London auction house Christie's held its auction of Impressionist and Modern works. The overall results were more impressive than the rival Sotheby's . Christie's auction at a total estimeyte 74,5-108,7 brought 92.6 million pounds million (Sotheby's auction earned 75 million with almost the same as that of Christie's, the total estimeyte - 73-102,6 million pounds). 80%of the lots found buyers Christie's (at Sotheby's auctioned away 69%of lots). According to Bloomberg reporters surveyed dealers, a selection of works at Christie's was stronger.

top lot in the evening, as usual, was the painting of Pablo Picasso, depicting one of his lovers. In the "sitting" in 1949 you can find his companion Françoise Gilot post-war years (Francoise Gilot), at the time she was expecting the birth of his daughter Paloma Picasso. The picture, once was a part of collection of steel magnate Leigh B. Block (Leigh B. Block), at Christie's auction was set to private collectors from California for 5-7 million pounds. The work was sold to a dealer William Akvavelle for 8.5 million pounds.

Yesterday was offered to buyers is another significant Picasso - "Woman with a Dog" in 1962. The canvas depicts another beloved artist Jacqueline Rock with their Afghan Hound. The picture is not leaving a single collection in 1974, successfully debuted on the open market - it went to a telephone buyer for £ 7 million (estimate: 6.9 million pounds).

is worth noting that Picasso's portraits were by no means the most expensive lots in the catalog Christie's: he graced the cover of "Bather" (1888) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir with an estimate of 12-18 million pounds. In 1997 this work at the New York auction collector paid 20.9 million dollars. This is the third most expensive work of Renoir, fired with the hammer at a public auction. But at yesterday's auction of "The Bathers" is not given a chance to beat his own record: work bought before the auction at a private transaction. According to the president of Christie's in Europe Jussi Pilkanena, the product was sold at a price within the estimate.

One of the most exciting deals in the evening was the sale of an early surrealist Rene Magritte "The days of the Titans» («Les jours gigantesques ») for the 7.2 million pounds - with a multiple excess of estimate 0.8-1.5 million pounds. Buyer made American billionaire Wilbur Ross (Wilbur Ross). A painting of embracing lovers, fused into a single silhouette, was put up for auction from a private European collection for the first time in 60 years. There is only one version of the picture, and it is stored in a museum in Dusseldorf.

next major auction of paintings in London will be held June 26 and 27: Sotheby's and Christie's will offer collectors of works of postwar and contemporary art .

Prepared by Mary Onuchina, AI

Source: artdaily.com , artinvestment.ru