“Gloucester Harbor,” 1873. Oil on canvas from the collection of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

A rare painting by Mexican landscape artist Jose Maria Velasco (1840-1912) sold February 23 during ewolf’s Art and Antiques Online Auction for an online painting record of $419,750, according to the gallery.

“Valle de Mexico” (1892) is a later and smaller version (56 by 76 cm) of Velasco’s most famous painting of 1877 depicting a panoramic landscape, which is now Mexico City.

The “Valle de Mexico” was first purchased sometime before 1902 in Mexico by an employee of the Santa Fe and Mexican Central Railroads and was brought back to the United States; the painting has resided with the same New England family since then. Valued at $200/400,000, the work generated substantial interest from dealers, collectors, and US and Mexican museums over the last two months. Six active bidders competed for the lot.

The successful buyer was Mary-Anne Martin from Mary-Anne Martin Fine Art, a New York dealer specializing in Latin American collections.

“We were among some very serious players and are amazed and delighted with the Velasco. It is our first serious Internet purchase. I hope it is the first of many cyber acquisitions for us. The experience as a lot of fun,” says Mary-Anne Martin, president.