: On May 3 at Sotheby's, in a packed salesroom, Pablo Picasso's
"Dora Maar au chat," one of the artist's most spectacular
depictions of his lover and artistic companion, sold to an
anonymous buyer for $95,216,000, making it the second most
expensive painting ever sold at auction
At least four bidders on the telephone competed with a bidder in
the room who prevailed after a lengthy and spirited battle. The
portrait was included in a sale of Impressionist and Modern art,
which brought $207,564,800, the highest total for a sale in this
category at Sotheby's since May 1990.
The evening also featured a spectacular painting from Henri
Matisse's celebrated Nice period - "Nu couché vu de dos" - which
sold for $18,496,000, a record for the artist at auction. An
auction record was also established for Dame Barbara Hepworth,
whose monumental sculpture, "Three Obliques (Walk-In)," sold for
$1,128,000. A complete review of the sale will appear in a future
issue.
