Gerhard Richter’s “Abstraktes Bild” at Sotheby’s
Richter’s ‘Abstraktes Bild’ sells for £21,3M at Sotheby’s Gerhard Richter’s ‘Abstraktes Bild’ from the collection of Eric Clapton sold for £21,321,250 / $34,190,756 / €26,436,220, establishing the record price for the work of any living artist at auction.]]>
October 13, 2012, source: Sotheby’s
“Abstraktes Bild” is an abstract oil on canvas masterwork from 1994 coming from the collection of Eric Clapton. The work sold to an anonymous buyer after two telephone bidders competed for the work for over 5 minutes until it finally sold to a round of applause for the new record sum. “Abstraktes Bild” was produced as part of a concise series of four works numbered 809 in Richter’s Catalogue Raisonné.
Commenting on the record price achieved for Gerhard Richter’s abstract masterwork, Alex Branczik, senior director and head of the evening sale, said in an email statement: “The combination of outstanding provenance and gold-standard quality in this sublime work by this blue-chip artist made for an historic auction moment. Gerhard Richter’s international appeal as one of the hottest Contemporary artists was once again confirmed this evening. The price of $34.1 million smashed the previous record for Richter by nearly $13 million and brings the highest-ever auction price for a work by a living artist.“
Yves Klein’s “RE 9-1”, executed in 1961, was sold for £3,7 million ($6 million). Another “Abstraktes Bild” by Richter sold for £1,95 million ($3,1 million).
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Gerhard Richter’s ‘Zwei Kerzen’ expected to realize more than $12 million (news, 2010)
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