Asta da guinness dei primati da Christie’s a New York
Un quadro dipinto da Pablo Picasso in un solo giorno del marzo 1932, «Nu au Plateau de Sculpteur» («Nudo, Foglie Verdi e Busto»), è stato venduto per oltre 106 milioni di dollari (circa 116 milioni di franchi) un record mondiale per un’opera d’arte all’asta, da Christie’s a New York. L’ultimo record per un’opera di Picasso fu segnato con Jacqueline.

Il dipinto di quest’asta raffigura Marie-Therese Walter, l’amante di Picasso. Il profilo dell’artista spagnolo si può riconoscere nello sfondo. Il quadro, venduto nella serata di inizio delle aste di primavera a New York, ha rotto il record stabilito in febbraio da una scultura dello svizzero Alberto Giacometti: «Walking Man I», venduta da Sotheby’s a Londra per 104,3 milioni di dollari (114,1 milioni di franchi).

L’asta del quadro è stata un blitz di appena otto minuti e sei secondi. Sei clienti si sono contesi il dipinto e il compratore se l’è aggiudicato puntando per telefono.

Il Picasso da Guinness, esposto al pubblico solo una volta nel 1951, veniva dalla collezione della filantropa di Los Angeles Frances Lasker Brody, morta in novembre e vedova di un miliardario del settore immobiliare. Christie’s ha avuto l’incarico di vendere opere della sua raccolta questa primavera: ci sono pezzi di Matisse, Braque e Giacometti.

A 1932 painting by Pablo Picasso has set a world art auction record, selling for a staggering $US106.4 million ($117 million), the auction house Christie’s announced in New York.

The Spanish master’s painting, “Nu au Plateau de Sculpteur” (Nude, Green Leaves and Bust), had been expected to bring in $US70 million ($77 million) to $US90 million ($99 million) but soared past that figure to eclipse the record set in February, when Alberto Giacometti’s “Walking Man I” sculpture sold in London for $US104.3 million ($114.7 million).

And the sale – to an unidentified buyer – narrowly beat out the previous record of $US104 million ($114.37 million) paid out for another Picasso piece, “Garcon a la Pipe”, in New York in 2004.

The large, sensual painting auctioned overnight has been exhibited just once in public since 1961, and was a highlight of the collection of Frances Lasker Brody, a philanthropist from Los Angeles who died last year.

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The sale marked the beginning of New York’s art auction season, and confirmed the renewed confidence of art dealers who said last week ahead of major spring auctions of Impressionist, modern and contemporary works that the financial crisis was largely behind them.

Art experts were watching the auction closely for signs that the art market was indeed clawing its way back.

With Wall Street profits back from the 2007-2008 financial crisis, the auctions will feature a string of top-end works aimed at big-spending collectors.

The Brody collection also features works by Giacometti and Henri Matisse.

The New York Times reported that Christie’s and Sotheby’s battled for four months to win the Brody sale, with the winner coming away after offering an undisclosed guaranteed sum to be paid to the sellers, whatever the result of the auction.

This revives a practice largely abandoned when the late 2008 financial meltdown hit the art market.

Sotheby’s may have missed out on the Brody collection but will sell a string of masterpieces including a Matisse called “Bouquet pour le 14 juillet 1919″, estimated at $US18 million ($19.8 million) to $US25 million ($27.49 million) tomorrow.