Joan Miró masterpiece, world record at auction

This year the sum paid has been the highest price for a work of art sold in London so far. Miró’s painting was the top lot in a Sotheby’s Impressionist and Modern Art sale, which totalled US$117,680,965. According to Reuters, the total sale amount is "just beating the low estimate of 73 million pounds [US$114 million] but falling short when buyer's premium is taken into account. The auction was the first in a busy season of sales of fine art in London which, if the highest expectations are met, could raise up to $1 billion." Sotheby's describes Joan Miros Peinture (Étoile Bleue) – which the artist saw as key to his oeuvre – as belonging to the seminal “dream paintings” cycle, in which Miró pioneered a uniquely poetic form of abstraction. This landmark work was formerly in the collection of André Lefevre, a leading collector and connoisseur of early 20th century art. Demand for works by Miró is at an all-time high following a major international retrospective of the artist’s work in London, Washington and Barcelona. Read more about Joan Miró and his strong presence in today's Barcelona in the article Joan Miró, the pride of Barcelona From Ahram