“This evening’s sale saw solid bidding activity from around the world, both in the room and on the phones,” ha commentato Simon Shaw, Head of Sotheby’s Impressionist & Modern Art Department in New York. “Pablo Picasso was our dominant artist tonight. We sold a fabulous selection of eight works spanning his career which was led by our cover lot, an exceptional image of Marie-Thérèse Walter and her sister reading that sold for more than $21 million. Another high point of the night was the Jawlensky, a prime work by the artist and the finest we have seen since we achieved the world record in 2008.”

“What unified the top-selling lots in tonight’s sale was great visual presence and vibrant color,” ha commentato David Norman, Co-Chairman of Sotheby’s Impressionist & Modern Art Department Worldwide. “As always, fair and conservative estimates really whet the appetite and increase bidding. The results demonstrate demand across all of the different categories represented. Surrealism did wonderfully, as we saw with the record-breaking price achieved by the Delvaux, and the strong prices brought for both Dalí and Magritte. Impressionist works held up well, with the Monet selling for nearly $6.3 million–twice the price it brought in 2004. Sculpture also performed well, as did the spectacular Expressionist artist Jawlensky.”

TOP TEN:

Lotto 21

Aggiudicato a: $21,362,500 (£12,855,810) (€14,332,920)

Stima: $25,000,000 – 35,000,000 Private Collector
Pablo Picasso, Femmes lisant (Deux personnages), 1934
Lotto 12

Aggiudicato a: $11,282,500 (£6,789,733) (€7,569,861)

Stima: $8,000,000 – 12,000,000 Anonymous
Alexej von Jawlensky, Frau Mit Grünem Fächer (Woman with a Green Fan), 1912

Lotto 8

Aggiudicato a: $11,282,500 (£6,789,733) (€7,569,861)

Stima: $10,000,000 – 15,000,000 Anonymous
Paul Gauguin, Jeune tahitienne, circa 1893
***RECORD FOR A SCULPTURE BY THE ARTIST AT AUCTION***
Lotto 16

Aggiudicato a: $9,602,500 (£5,778,721) (€6,442,685 )

Stima: $10,000,000 – 15,000,000 European Private
Pablo Picasso, Couple à la guitare, 1970
Lotto 40

Aggiudicato a: $9,042,500 (£5,441,716) (€6,066,960 )

Stima: $3,000,000 – 5,000,000 Private Collector
Paul Delvaux, Les Cariatides, 1946
***RECORD FOR THE ARTIST AT AUCTION***
Lotto 17

Aggiudicato a: $7,922,500 (£4,767,708) (€5,315,509)

Stima: $3,000,000 – 5,000,000 European Private Collector
Pablo Picasso, Femme, 1930
Lotto 14

Aggiudicato a: $7,362,500 (£4,430,703) (€4,939,783)

Stima: $2,000,000 – 3,000,000 Private European
Alberto Giacometti, Femme debout, conceived in 1956 and cast in 1957
Lotto 32

Aggiudicato a: $6,242,500 (£3,756,695) (€4,188,332)

Stima: $6,000,000 – 8,000,000 U.S. Private
Claude Monet, La Seine à Argenteuil, 1877
Lotto 42

Aggiudicato a: $5,962,500 (£3,588,193) (€4,000,470)

Stima: $5,000,000 – 7,000,000 U.S. Private
René Magritte, Quand l’heure sonnera, 1932
Lotto 22

Aggiudicato a: $5,962,500 (£3,588,193) (€4,000,470)

Stima: $6,000,000 – 8,000,000 Anonymous

Pablo Picasso, Mère et enfant aux fleurs, 1901