Date: Fri 21-May-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: LIZAM

Quick Words:

van-Gogh-Christie's-AP

Full Text:

Van Gogh Sells For $19.8 Million At Christie's

NEW YORK CITY (AP) -- A van Gogh landscape sold for $19.8 million during the

city's third consecutive day of high-profile art auctions.

Nearly $66 million worth of Impressionist and Nineteenth Century work was sold

May 12 at Christie's first evening sale at its new North American headquarters

in Rockefeller Center.

The 1888 van Gogh painting, "La Roubine du Roi," depicts a canal at Arles

where local women washed their clothes. The buyer was Washington collector

Joseph Albritton; the seller was not identified.

Thirty-six of 40 lots sold for $65.9 million, including seven works by Monet.

"It was a lively atmosphere among the capacity crowd in the new James Christie

Room and a memorable evening over all," said Christopher Burge, chairman of

Christie's North and South America. "It was exciting to open the bidding at

our inaugural evening sale at Christie's in Rockefeller Center."

On May 10, Cezanne's "Still Life with Curtain, Pitcher and Bowl of Fruit" sold

at Sotheby's for $60.5 million, the fourth-highest price ever for a work of

art sold at auction.

A day later at Sotheby's, 30 of 48 lots sold for $55.6 million, including

Monet's "Haystack" and "Waterloo Bridge, Effect of Fog."