An enticingly estimated drawing by the 17th century English court portraitist Sir Peter Lely offered for sale in a French provincial auction drew a flurry of attention from English trade and private bidders last week. It was propelled to over 20-times its estimate.
French auction house Ivoire Nantes had guided the 12 x 8in (29.5 x 20 cm) portrait of a young girl, in black and white chalk heightened with red chalk and pink pastel at just €12,000-15,000 in its June 13 sale. But 10 phone bidders and two others who travelled to the coastal city contested it to €420,000 (£371,680) plus 24% buyer’s premium. The buyer was a private collector.
The price is amongst the highest ever paid at auction for a work on paper by the Dutch-born artist – the sum appears to be only behind the self-portrait sold at Sotheby’s last year for £720,000.