The highlight at the auction of contemporary art at Sotheby’s New York sale was a large 1953 painting by abstract expressionist artist Barnett Newman. His blue hued painting, “Onement VI” was sold for $43.8 million and set the auction record for his work.
The previous record for artist’s work was $22.4 million, paid just a year ago for another canvas in the same series.
Another record price was paid for Gerhard Richter’s “Domplatz, Mailand [Cathedral Square, Milan]” from 1968, which sold for $37,125,000 – making it the most expensive work ever sold at auction by a living artist.
Four other paintings sold for more than $20 million, including Jackson Pollock’s “Blue Unconscious” (1946).
The auction totaled $293.6 million, above its low estimate of $283.9 million but well below its $382.9 million high.
