Impressionist and Modern at Sotheby's and Christie's

the week the major auction houses - Sotheby's and Christie's - held auctions of Impressionist and Modern art. The first ended the day with a score of 68, 8 million. Pounds, the second sold works by 84, 9 million. Pounds. Top lot of Sotheby's was the painting by Pablo Picasso "Reading" 1932 (above), which depicts a mistress and master of models Marie-Therese Walter. The work was sold for £ 25, 2 million., Twice the minimum bar for the estimate of £ 12 million. For Picasso fought seven potential buyers. The auction also set a new record for the value of drawing on paper of the Belgian surrealist artist Rene Magritte - gouache "Headmaster" sold for £ 2, 5 million. 84,485,263

The most expensive work at Christie's was the "Terrace at Vernon" by French painter Pierre Bonnard in 1923, pushed under the hammer for £ 7, 2 million pounds - the highest auction price for the artist's works. Estimate the painting was £ 3- £ 4 million. In total, the auction were sold three lots at a price exceeding £ 5 million for .: £ 5, 9 million. Sold "Boats at Collioure" Andre Derain, for £ 5, 4 million. - "The dancers in yellow skirts" Edgar Degas. In the Surrealists record was set earlier work of Salvador Dali "Honey is sweeter than blood." Proceeds price of £ 4 million. Was the highest at auction for the artist. The main disappointment was the auction Christie's "Still Life and l'Esperans" Paul Gauguin (below), not been seen in public since 1989. Wizard promised to become the main lot of the auction - its cost is estimated at £ 7-10 million. However, the bids were frozen at around £ 5, 8 mln., And the picture was removed.