$ 29 million for Alma-Tadema’s Anthony and Cleopatra Meeting

The meeting of Antony and Cleopatra: 41 BC (The Meeting of Antony and Cleopatra: 41 BC) by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema was sold on May 5 at the 19th Century European Art Auction held at Sotheby’s in New York, for $ 29,202,500. The final price was almost 6 times higher than the highest forecasts (previously the cost of the painting was estimated at $ 5 million).

Two bidders (both bidding by phone) fought for the painting for 8 minutes, with the result that the price rose to such a high point. "The meeting of Anthony and Cleopatra" became the most expensive auction week in New York and the second most expensive Alma-Tadema. Recall that in November last year, his painting “Finding Moses” went for $ 35.9 million.

Bidding of 19th-century European art (including a collection of sculptures), held on May 5 in New York, brought a total of $ 44,653,250, 98 lots were found by buyers, including several paintings by William Bouguereau (Oranges went for $ 1,370,500), as well as Musicians by Eugene Delacroix.

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