Picasso Painting sets record sale price ($106.5 Million at auction)

Los Angeles Times ^ | 05/05/2010 | Jori Finkel

[SeekAndFind]

His 1932 portrait 'Nude, Green Leaves and Bust' fetches $106.5 million.

Some mistresses are more valuable than others. On Tuesday night, Christie's New York sold Pablo Picasso's bold 1932 portrait of his lover Marie-Thérèse Walter, "Nude, Green Leaves and Bust," for $106.5 million, making it the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction.

"I think the Picasso illustrates what has been true in good and bad economic times — the very best works of art continue to sell at a premium," said Marc Porter, chairman of Christie's Americas. He said the nine bidders active after the opening bid of $58 million "came from all over: Asia, the U.S., and Europe, including the former Soviet republic."

At press time, the buyer, who had placed the winning bid of $95 million (which, including buyer's fees, amounts to $106.5 million) by telephone, was not identified.

The painting came from the estate of Frances Brody, the Los Angeles arts patron who died last year at age 93. Her husband Sidney, a real estate developer, died in 1983. The estate consigned this Picasso to Christie's along with some 80 other artworks. The most valuable pieces, including sculptures by Alberto Giacometti, went up for auction Tuesday night; the remainder are slated for Wednesday morning.

[SeekAndFind]

PABLO PICASSO's "NUDE, GREEN LEAVES AND BUST" SELLS FOR $106.5 Million

[shankbear]

That is a rip roaring pile of dookie.....art is in the eye of the beholder.

[mlocher]

I guess this is one way to “Bernanke-proof” your portfolio.

[kbennkc]

I'll stick with Smiths , Colts , and Winchesters .

[shelterguy]

My neighbor does artwork very similar to this picasso. She is in the third grade.

[Leisler]

Bingo. Easy to transport, sell privately, no register, serial number, etc....

[mlocher]

Bingo. Easy to transport, sell privately, no register, serial number, etc....

Now that I have your trust in my being a prudent investor, do you have some cash, say about $106.5M or so, that you could lend me for a few years?

[SeekAndFind]

My neighbor does artwork very similar to this picasso. She is in the third grade.

Maybe she can change her name to Picasso and sell a million bucks ( and then change her name back after she's made enough ) :)

[VanDeKoik]

Picasso will die a very rich man...

[SeekAndFind]

Picasso will die a very rich man...

Tell that to poor Vincent Van Gogh...

[Uncle Miltie]

OOOOoogly.

[Cicero]

The more I look at Picasso, the more I think he was a highly talented but nasty S.O.B. Those distortions of his mistress turn her into an object to be exploited, which is, I think, how he saw all of his women.

[Joe 6-pack]

"My neighbor does artwork very similar to this picasso. She is in the third grade."

Picasso painted this when he was 15...

He did this portrait of his mother the same year...

He is also quoted as having said, "As a child, I could paint like Raphael, but it took a lifetime to paint like a child."

[BBell]

Thank you for that bit of information. I know little of art and all I know of Picasso is the paintings that he did that he seems to be known for, like the one this article is about.

[SeekAndFind]

The more I look at Picasso, the more I think he was a highly talented but nasty S.O.B. Those distortions of his mistress turn her into an object to be exploited, which is, I think, how he saw all of his women.

I wonder if you'd like Salvador Dali then. His wife, Gala Dali has been seen as the model in his numerous paitings.

Here she is for instance in his famous painting, GALARINA :



I wonder how much Dali's paintings would sell for if they have been auctioned.

[Joe 6-pack]

He had pretty much mastered representation art early in his youth. He saw the rest of his life basically as an exploration of new directions. Vain, eccentric, misogynist to be sure, but genius nonetheless, who was capable of rendering art of incredible skill and emotional content...

[ken21]

p died in 1973.

[Erasmus]

I hear that he’d take his models out before a session and get them shift-faced.

[nothingnew]

Salvador Dali is one of my favorite artists. I like to view his paintings while wearing my double lens ant filled glasses.

FMCDH(BITS)

[nonsporting]

My neighbor does artwork very similar to this picasso. She is in the third grade.

This reminded me of an episode of the old B/W sitcom "Adams Family" where Picasso was hired to give daughter Wednesday art lessons. Turns out Mortitia had hired local artist "Sam" Picasso, not Pablo. Sam was freaked by Wednesday's thematic choices and attempted to escape. But Lurch faithfully brought him back. Does anyone remember Lurch's iconic line?