Sotheby Modern Sale Booms

Impressionist and Modern masterpieces were strongly competed for at Sotheby's in London fetching over 37.5 million pounds. Ten works sold for more than 1 million pounds and bidding was strong across the board. The top lot was a masterpiece by Fernand Leger which fetched 2.9 million pounds. A Max Beckmann sold for 2.8 million pounds and a beautiful pair of female nudes by Amedeo Modigliani attracting fierce competition, sold for 2.7 million pounds. The sale featured several works by Edgar Degas including two works on paper of ballet dancers selling for 2.4 million pounds and a Pissarro - last seen at auction in 1962 - when it fetched 19,800 now sold for 1.7 million pounds. Another notable success in the Surrealist Art sale was Magritte's Le Monde Visible which fetched 1.28 million pounds. It last appeared at auction in 1984 when it made 190,000 dollars at Sotheby's New York. For the full story - click the title Irish Art