Old Master & British Paintings Evening Sale

The Old Master & British Paintings Evening Sale realised £18,993,500/ $29,249,990/ €26,305,998. The auction was led by A coastal landscape with fisherfolk, the most important oil by Richard Parkes Bonington to come to the market in a generation and one of the last on this scale to remain in private hands, sold for £2,490,500/ $3,835,370/ €3,449,343, setting a new world record price for the artist at auction (estimate: £2-3 million). This painting was executed at the height of the artist’s career.

Henry Pettifer, International Director, Head of Old Master & British Paintings Christie’s London: “This sale welcomed registered bidders from 31 countries across 4 continents, reflecting the excellent selection of pictures presented from private collections, with emphasis on rarity, importance and provenance. The market’s appetite for rare opportunities presented by the most appealing and important works to appear fresh to the market at auction, many for generations and offered with attractive estimates, is highlighted by the top prices realised for the most significant oil by Richard Parkes Bonington to come to the market in a generation which set a new world record price at auction for the artist; a previously unrecorded view of Venice by Francesco Guardi; and a striking work by El Greco and studio which has passed by descent since 1772 to the present owners. This week of sales presents opportunities for news and established collectors at different price levels and we now look forward to Christie’s ‘Old Master & British Paintings Day Sale’ on Friday 10 July.”