Post by Taxigirl on Nov 4, 2004 14:19:25 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/3981213.stm
Monet painted 19 scenes of the Houses of Parliament
A painting of the Houses of Parliament by Claude Monet, has sold for $20m (£10.8m) at auction in New York.
The 1904 oil painting was sold as part of the Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale at Christie's.
It was the first time the painting - titled Londres, le Parlement, Effet de Soleil dans le Brouillard - had been offered on the open market.
The sale, which also included works by Miro and Van Gogh, fetched a total of $128.2m (£69.3m)
The Monet painting is one of 19 depicting the Houses of Parliament, with the majority hanging in museums or galleries.
It had been estimated to fetch between $12m (£6.5m) and $18m (£9.7m).
Slow down
Bidding for Miro's La Caresse des Etoiles, which had never been on the open market before, reached $11.8m (£6.9m).
The 1938 work was originally given away by Miro's dealer in exchange for a coat, following the liberation of Paris in 1944.
The auction was the first major sale of the autumn season and provided mixed fortunes on the night.
Auctioneer Christopher Burge said that while there were strong results there appeared to be caution from bidders, indicating the art boom of the last few years could be slowing.
The third highest lot of the night was Van Gogh's Le Pont de Trinquetaille, which fetched $11.2m (£6m), but fell well short of the estimated high of $18m (£9.7m).
One Monet, Pins, Caps d'Antibes, failed to reach its reserve price of $3m (£1.6m) and remained unsold.
Monet painted 19 scenes of the Houses of Parliament
A painting of the Houses of Parliament by Claude Monet, has sold for $20m (£10.8m) at auction in New York.
The 1904 oil painting was sold as part of the Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale at Christie's.
It was the first time the painting - titled Londres, le Parlement, Effet de Soleil dans le Brouillard - had been offered on the open market.
The sale, which also included works by Miro and Van Gogh, fetched a total of $128.2m (£69.3m)
The Monet painting is one of 19 depicting the Houses of Parliament, with the majority hanging in museums or galleries.
It had been estimated to fetch between $12m (£6.5m) and $18m (£9.7m).
Slow down
Bidding for Miro's La Caresse des Etoiles, which had never been on the open market before, reached $11.8m (£6.9m).
The 1938 work was originally given away by Miro's dealer in exchange for a coat, following the liberation of Paris in 1944.
The auction was the first major sale of the autumn season and provided mixed fortunes on the night.
Auctioneer Christopher Burge said that while there were strong results there appeared to be caution from bidders, indicating the art boom of the last few years could be slowing.
The third highest lot of the night was Van Gogh's Le Pont de Trinquetaille, which fetched $11.2m (£6m), but fell well short of the estimated high of $18m (£9.7m).
One Monet, Pins, Caps d'Antibes, failed to reach its reserve price of $3m (£1.6m) and remained unsold.