Bronze nude sculpture beats antiques valuation to sell for over £30m
The piece had an antiques valuation of between $25 million and $35 million.
A 6 ft nude bronze sculpture has smashed its antiques valuation to sell for $48.8 million (£30.15 million).
The piece, by Matisse, was previously valued at between $25 million and $35 million, but it nearly reached the sum of $50 million as it went under the hammer at Christie's in New York.
The item - entitled Nu de dos, 4 etat (Back IV) - depicts a naked woman seen from the back.
According to the auctioneers, the sale was "extraordinary", while other Matisse offerings were also sold for a combined value of more than $231 million with 80 of the 84 lots finding buyers.
Another piece which could go for a similar price tag when it goes up for sale in New York at Sotheby's on January 27th 2011 is a painting by Titian.
It was revealed earlier this week that the artwork - entitled A Sacra Conversazione: The Madonna and Child with Saints Luke and Catherine of Alexandria - has an antiques valuation of between $15 million and $20 million.
Posted by Lisa Marriott