The fortnight of modern and contemporary art sales has kicked off strongly with record breaking figures achieved at Christie’s on Tuesday evening.  With rare and museum quality works up for auction this week, there has been fierce bidding at both Sotheby’s and Christie’s.

Christie’s Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale and the auction of Art of The Surreal realised £134,999,000.   The sale which featured works from The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor broke the auction record for both Joan Miró with Painting-Poem selling for £16.8 million and Henry Moore with Reclining Figure: Festival going to a telephone bidder for £19.1 million.

Sotheby’s Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale totalled £78,893,650.  Monet’s previously unseen painting L’Entrée de Giverny en hiver achieved £8.2 million, a record for a snowscape.   The strong section of works by German artists was highlighted by Ernest Ludwig Kirchner’s painting Das Boskett: Albertplatz in Dresden selling for £7.3 million.

With the conclusion today of Sotheby’s Impressionist and Modern Day Sale, which is dominated by Fauve works and the evening sale of the stunning  private collection ‘Living with Art’ at Christie’s, it can be seen that the art market continues to respond to exceptional works of art.