Which London Auction House hosted a spirited Old Master Paintings sale on December 8 that witnessed an avalanche of bidding that shattered several world auction records? We can’t believe it! Will you?
December 8 saw some major totals for Old Master paintings during the sale in London, realizing a robust $15,451,768. Among the notable lots were pictures by Jacob Jordaens, Balthasar van der Ast, Jean Decourt, François Clouet, John Constable, Pieter Brueghel the Younger, and Judith Leyster. Of the 37 lots offered, 30 were sold, with 94.7 percent by value.
Several artists established new world records. Judith Leyster’s “Portrait of the Artist” exceeded its $400k to $600k estimate with a hammer price of $613,040. Corneille de La Haye’s new world record is now $840,560, which was earned by her 1540 “Portrait of a Merchant.” François Clouet and Jean Decourt also earned new world auction records at $946,736 and $992,240, respectively.
Detailed in Fine Art Today just a few weeks ago, Pieter Brueghel the Younger’s outstanding “Return from the Kermesse” topped its $2 million-$3 million estimate by realizing a total of $3,259,249. Titian’s “Portrait of Two Boys” also bested its estimate by over $1 million, selling for a whopping $2,666,514.
To learn more, visit Christie’s.
This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.
